THE NATIONAL UNION OF
JOURNALISTS OF UKRAINENational Union of Journalists of Ukraine
The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) is the largest journalists’ organization in Ukraine. It currently has around 10,000 members (as of February 2022 – 19,000 members). The Union has branches in all regions of Ukraine.
The NUJU was registered on 9 June 1992. Since then, the organization has been operating continuously. Even at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Union did not suspend its activities and provided continuous assistance to Ukrainian and foreign journalists.
Mission and Vision
Mission: Protect freedom of speech, promote access to accurate information for Ukrainians, support democracy through the development of independent and responsible media, implement socially important projects, and conduct advocacy campaigns.
Vision: A developed professional journalistic environment that provides audiences with access to high-quality and objective information.
Leadership
Since 2017, Sergiy Tomilenko has been the President of the NUJU.
Activities
The NUJU holds conferences, round tables, and public hearings on freedom of speech and journalist safety, actively participates in drafting amendments to legislation in the information sphere, and provides legal support. After the start of the full-scale invasion, the NUJU updated its main goals and priorities in line with the challenges of the times.
Journalists’ Solidarity Centers
One of the main priorities of the NUJU after the start of the full-scale invasion is the activity of the network of Journalists’ Solidarity Centers (JSC). Over 8000 requests have been processed in the 3 years of the network’s existence. Each of the 6 centers can act as a safety place for Ukrainian and foreign journalists. More than 2 years, UNESCO has been a key institutional partner of the JSCs network.
International Partnerships
The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine is a member of leading international journalistic organizations:
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
The IFJ, the world’s largest organization of journalists, represents 600,000 media professionals from 187 trade unions and associations in more than 140 countries.
After the full-scale invasion, the IFJ and the EFJ immediately supported the NUJU’s initiative to create a network of Journalists` Solidarity Centers. Thanks to this support, our Union was able to provide emergency assistance to hundreds of journalists who needed it.
Website: https://www.ifj.org/
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
The EFJ is the largest organization of journalists in Europe, representing over 296,000 journalists in 74 journalists’ organizations across 44 countries.
The EFJ fights for social and professional rights of journalists working in all sectors of the media across Europe through strong trade unions and associations. The EFJ promotes and defends the rights to freedom of expression and information. The EFJ has consistently shown strong support and solidarity with Ukrainian journalists.
NUJU President Sergiy Tomilenko is a member of the EFJ Steering Committee since 2019.
Website: https://europeanjournalists.org/
International Press Institute (IPI)
The IPI is an association of media professionals representing leading digital, print and broadcast news outlets in nearly 100 countries. Membership of this association provides the clearest evidence possible of the universality of media freedom and the basic values of journalism.
NUJU. as IPI member, works cooperatively to shape debate on policies affecting the media and to push back against those seeking to restrict the free flow of news and information
Website: https://ipi.media/
A Culture of Safety Alliance (ACOS Alliance)
The ACOS Alliance is a unique global coalition of 150+ news organizations, journalist associations and press freedom NGOs working together to champion safe and responsible journalism practices.
The Alliance’s mission is to embed a culture of safety within journalism so that independent media and journalists globally can play their essential role in upholding democracy.
NUJU has officially become a signatory of the Freelance Journalist Safety Principles, developed by the ACOS Alliance. This is an important step in strengthening the protection of Ukrainian journalists, especially those who work in high-risk areas.
Website: https://www.acosalliance.org/
Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD)
The GFMD is the biggest global community of media development and journalism support organizations. This is the world’s leading network of media development and journalism support organizations. that now unites 215 organizations from around the world.
Through collaboration, coordination, and collective action this network creates, promotes, and delivers policies and programmes to sustain journalism as a public good.
Website: https://gfmd.info/
