Pulitzer Center Update

IWMF Elizabeth Neuffer Fellow Visits Pulitzer Center

Ugandan journalist Jackee Batanda visited the Pulitzer Center last week to talk about her experiences reporting on recent protests against Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

Amid the anti-government rallies, the president shut down media outlets and proposed a bill that would result in further censorship.

"When [journalists] dig deeper in cases of investigative journalism, they are somehow getting to stories the government does not want out," said Batanda, a freelance journalist with the Global Press Institute who focuses her reporting on social justice and human rights issues in Uganda.

Through this experience, Batanda said she was determined to find ways to report on government corruption despite the increasing lack of press freedom in the country.

"I want to expand horizons and highlight issues that do not reach mainstream media," said Batanda, who was selected as the International Women's Media Foundation's Elizabeth Neuffer Fellow for 2011-12.

In her interview Batanda said Uganda is dealing with a major economic crisis due to the rising cost of fuel and mentioned frequent protests by Ugandans demanding the government take action.

Batanda plans to travel to Boston and New York for the fellowship, which was created in memory of Boston Globe correspondent Elizabeth Neuffer who was killed in Iraq in 2003.

The first part of the fellowship consists of a four-month research assistant position at Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Center for International Studies and an internship with The Boston Globe. In January, Batanda will move to New York for an internship at The New York Times.