InterviewHer

Why InterviewHer

InterviewHer is a database for journalists, introducing women experts from around the world on conflict, peace, and security. The experts range from activists to analysts. Some are on the ground in their country of expertise, others far from home.

The database can be browsed at Interview-Her.com. There are peace negotiators, former political prisoners, international lawyers, grassroots organizers, university professors, and human rights defenders from all corners of the globe.

InterviewHer was set up to connect media with women who can speak with authority on the causes and prevention of conflict, the paths to building peace and sustaining stability. Through our Find an Expert page, journalists can locate experts by country, region or more than 20 topics, ranging from arms control and killer robots to sexual violence in military conflict and peacekeeping.

Why InterviewHer? Although most newsrooms are more committed than ever to ethical, diverse, and inclusive journalism, research reveals startling gaps in who is featured in the media. Women are especially marginalized in situations of conflict and crisis. Not only are women frontline agents of change in conflict, they bring unique and insightful expertise which is rarely reflected in global news.

“We were once told that we couldn’t participate in the peace negotiations because there weren’t enough chairs in the room. We’ve heard the most ridiculous excuses.” – Muna Luqman,  InterviewHer expert from Yemen

When the news we read, hear and watch does not fully represent the voices in our societies, it paints an inaccurate picture of our world and misinforms how citizens and decision-makers respond to challenges globally.

Studies show that men are quoted as experts in news stories far more than women. The Global Gender Monitoring Project in 2020 found only 24% of expert voices in the news are women. That was a notable increase from 19% in 2015, thanks to media diversification efforts and initiatives like Interview-Her.com to connect media with women sources.

Studies have  shown that when journalists have handy lists of experts for interviews and talk shows, they will use them. In newsrooms that purposefully set out to increase women’s voices and images, it works. BBC’s 50:50 The Equality Project is a good example.

A study of six countries published by the International Women’s Media Foundation in 2020 found men remain the vast majority of quoted experts and sources in news coverage in India, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. Among the recommendations in the report, The Missing Perspectives of Women in the News, is the creation of databases to encourage journalists to seek out women authorities.

We welcome success stories and nominations to build the InterviewHer list.

“Women and girls are half of humanity. Giving equal time and weight to their stories is an important part of creating a better, freer world for all of us.”  – Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director, UN Women from 2013-2021.

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