Press Fellowships

Press Fellowships

In an era of shrinking newsroom budgets and an increasingly divided, misinformed public, the need for accurate, insightful, and nuanced journalism about our interconnected global challenges has never been more critical — or more difficult to execute. Consequently, media coverage of complex issues like gender equality, global health, sustainable development, and the UN’s impact is often inadequate, especially about remote or hard-to-reach places where the UN’s work often matters most.

To address this financial resource gap and bridge this geographic divide, the UN Foundation has a nearly 15-year history of hosting global press fellowships that highlight vital UN initiatives. From polio eradication and routine immunization in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to climate resiliency and early warning systems in Dominica, these press fellowships have produced hundreds of news articles and in-depth press coverage on urgent issues.

To learn more about supporting UN Foundation Press Fellowships, read more below or reach out to our team.

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Featured Press Fellowships

Rwanda: Women Deliver Conference

The Universal Access Project (UAP) hosted a group of journalists at the 2023 Women Deliver Conference in Kigali at a critical time when sexual and reproductive health and rights were under threat in both the U.S. and abroad.

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Dominica: Climate & Resilience

In May 2023, the UN Foundation brought five journalists to the Caribbean island nation of Dominica to explore the impact of climate change in the context of the ocean and Small Island Developing States.

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Thailand: International Conference on Family Planning

In November 2022, the Universal Access Project (UAP) hosted a group of journalists to the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Thailand.

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Brazil: Climate & Biodiversity

Ahead of COP 27 and Brazil’s presidential election, the UN Foundation hosted a press fellowship to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil for 10 journalists from around the world.

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Democratic Republic of Congo: Polio Eradication

The UN Foundation hosted a press fellowship in August 2022 to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) focused on polio eradication and related public health services.

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Press Fellowships 2017-2021

2021
  • Virtual Fellowship: Generation Equality Forum – The UN Foundation hosted a virtual fellowship ahead of The Generation Equality Forum in June 2020, which was convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France.
2020
  • Virtual Fellowship: UNGA – During the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Foundation hosted a virtual press fellowship that offered 10 journalists exclusive access to high-level UN and government officials, health experts, vaccine scientists, activists, and policymakers.
2019
  • Kenya: ICPD+25 Conference – In November 2019, the Universal Access Project (UAP) hosted a group of journalists at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Nairobi.
  • USA: UNGA – For its 10th annual press fellowship to UNGA, the UN Foundation hosted a group of 10 journalists in New York during the world’s largest diplomatic gathering.
  • Nigeria: Polio Eradication – In July 2019, Reporters from PBS, Foreign Policy, BBC, NBC News, and U.S. News & World Report traveled to Nigeria — then one of the last three remaining countries where wild poliovirus had not yet been eradicated — to meet with experts across the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, including UNICEF and WHO staff.
  • Canada: Women Deliver Conference: The Universal Access Project (UAP) hosted a delegation of seven U.S. journalists in June 2019 at the Women Deliver conference in Vancouver.
  • Ghana: Data & the SDGs – The Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD) hosted a group of journalists in Ghana to report on the Africa Regional Data Cube in May 2019.
2018
  • Rwanda: International Conference on Family Planning – In November 2018, The Universal Access Project hosted a group of journalists at the International Conference on Family Planning in Kigali, where they met with UN officials, government leaders, health practitioners, and other experts.
  • United Arab Emirates: Gender & Data – Hosted by Data2X, this press fellowship brought a group of journalists to the UN World Data Forum in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in October 2018 to interview UN and government officials, business leaders, data scientists, and other experts on the need for more complete, unbiased data on the lives of women and girls worldwide.
  • USA: Global Climate Reporting – Together with the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), the UN Foundation hosted a Global Climate Reporting Program that brought 16 journalists to San Francisco to participate in the 2018 Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS).
  • USA: UNGA – The UN Foundation hosted a group of journalists to UN headquarters in New York for the 73rd General Assembly, the largest annual gathering of heads of state and ministers in the world.
  • Uruguay: Reporting on the SDGs – In partnership with UN Uruguay, the Uruguayan Government, and Inter Press Service (IPS), the UN Foundation hosted a training in August 2018 with 27 reporters in Montevideo, Uruguay as part of its Global Bureau initiative to enhance reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals.
  • Singapore: Reporting on the SDGs – As part of its Global Bureau initiative to support journalists who are reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN Foundation and partners hosted a group of 22 reporters for workshops with experts in June 2018.
  • USA: SDG Student Journalism Workshop – The UN Foundation and International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) hosted a workshop for student journalists called “The World in 2030” in February 2018.
2017
  • USA: UNGA – The UN Foundation hosted a group of journalists in New York during the General Debate of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly.
  • Guatemala: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) – In April 2017, the Universal Access Project (UAP) hosted a group of journalists in Guatemala to report on its far-reaching implications in one of Central America’s poorest countries.
  • UAE: World Government Summit – The UN Foundation hosted a group of journalists in Dubai at the 2017 World Government Summit.

Press Fellowships 2011-2016

2016
  • USA: UNGA – Together with the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), the UN Foundation hosted 10 journalists in New York City during the annual UN General Assembly (UNGA).
  • Uganda: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) – In August 2016, the Universal Access Project (UAP) hosted a group of journalists in Uganda, where they met with UN officials, health practitioners, community leaders, and everyday women and girls whose lives are affected by the lack of sexual and reproductive health care.
  • South Africa: HIV/AIDS – In July 2016, the UN Foundation hosted a group of journalists in Durban, South Africa for the 2016 Global AIDS Conference, hosted by UNAIDS.
  • Turkey: World Humanitarian Summit – The UN Foundation hosted an SDG training workshop for journalists at the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in May 2016.
  • Denmark: Women Deliver Conference – The Universal Access Project (UAP) hosted a group of journalists to the Women Deliver Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark in May 2016.
  • Jordan: Refugee Rights, Health & Energy – The Universal Access Project (UAP) hosted a press fellowship in March 2016 to Zaatari in Jordan — then the world’s largest refugee camp.
2015
  • France: COP21 – The UN Foundation hosted a group of journalists in Paris during the UN’s Climate Change Conference (COP21).
  • Indonesia: International Conference on Family Planning – In December 2015, the Universal Access Project hosted a group of journalists at the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) in Nusa Dua, Indonesia.
  • USA: UNGA – For its sixth annual press fellowship to the UN General Assembly, the UN Foundation hosted a group of journalists in New York for four days of interviews and briefings focused on the SDGs and climate change.
  • Haiti: Health & Migration – In July 2015, the Universal Access Project (UAP) hosted a group of journalists to Haiti to explore the challenges facing health care, particularly among women and girls.
  • Switzerland: World Health Assembly – In partnership with the Kaiser Family Foundation, the UN Foundation hosted a group of U.S.-based journalists in Geneva for the 2015 World Health Assembly.
  • Vietnam: Health Care – In January 2015, the UN Foundation hosted a group of journalists in Vietnam to cover the country’s immunization program and ongoing strategies to combat disease and improve child health in the region.
2014
  • USA: UNGA – As part of its fifth annual reporting fellowship to the UN General Assembly, the UN Foundation hosted a group of journalists in New York, where they received unprecedented access to leaders and experts, as well as entry into UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Climate Summit and the 2014 Social Good Summit.
  • South Africa & Mozambique: Maternal and Child Health – Together with the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), the UN Foundation hosted nine journalists in South Africa and Mozambique to report on maternal and child health in June 2014.
  • India: Global Health – With support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and in collaboration with UN agencies and global health partners, the UN Foundation hosted a group of journalists in New Delhi, India with field visits to surrounding provinces in April 2014.
2013
  • Ethiopia: International Conference on Family Planning – The Universal Access Project (UAP) hosted a group of journalists at the International Family Planning Conference in Addis Ababa in November 2013.
  • USA: UNGA – With support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UN Foundation hosted a group of journalists in New York during the annual UN General Assembly.
2012
  • USA: UNGA – With support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the UN Department of Public Information, the UN Foundation hosted a group of journalists in New York ahead of the UN General Assembly in September 2012.
2011
  • USA: UNGA – With support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UN Foundation hosted a group of journalists in New York during the week of the UN General Assembly in September 2011.