Pitches wanted (women's/LGBT rights, Eurasia) | $130-$450 per piece

COMPANY/PUBLICATION: OPENDEMOCRACY

Inge Snip, Commissioning Fellow at openDemocracy, is looking for pitches:

I'm looking for stories that track the backlash against women’s and LGBTIQ rights, document the resistance or profile feminist media in the Eurasia region

At openDemocracy, we’re committed to exposing the religious and political movements, dark money and elite networks behind this backlash, and also in documenting resistance to it, in particular from women, LBTIQ groups and feminist media.

We want to inform, challenge and empower our growing audience and are looking for vivid, tightly written stories packed with first-hand reporting and expert insight. We’re after thoughtful critiques and rigorous analysis, backed up by research.

The opportunity pays between £100 and £350 depending on the assignment (for opinion pieces and blog-like articles for which there is no reporting it's £100, but for reported pieces needing several interviews, it's more likely £350).

Please email short pitches in English, Russian or Georgian, rather than fully written pieces. These should be sent to inge.snip@opendemocracy.net with “Eurasia pitch” in the subject line. For more info, check this out:

HELP US TELL STORIES ON WOMEN’S AND LGBTIQ RIGHTS IN THE EURASIA REGION

Wherever you look, far-right and ultra-conservative movements are gaining strength – and even taking over governments. The backlash against human rights and social justice is alive and kicking across the world, from Poland to Brazil to the US.

Here at openDemocracy, we’re committed to exposing the religious and political movements, dark money and elite networks behind this backlash, and also in documenting resistance to it, in particular from women, LBTIQ groups and feminist media.

We’re now looking to expand our coverage of Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Stories we have published on the region include:

• With help from American activists, Ukrainian women are being misled about abortion
• Hypocrite Russia promotes childbirth but won't protect pregnant women
• Meet the Uzbek activists using apps to connect gay men to HIV testing and care

Our goal is to inform, challenge and empower our growing audience. We’re looking for vivid, tightly written stories packed with first-hand reporting and expert insight. We’re after thoughtful critiques and rigorous analysis, backed up by research.

THESE ARE OUR KEY PROJECTS:

Tracking the Backlash

Women and LGBTIQ people have won tremendous victories for rights and equality around the world. But organised networks, coordinating with one another across borders, are working to roll back or prevent more progress. Over the last year, our Tracking the Backlash project has published multi-part investigations into Christian conservative support for the far right in Europe and a major series on how vulnerable pregnant women around the world are being targeted with misinformation about their health and rights.

Documenting the Resistance

Empowering new voices and hearing directly from women, girls and gender nonconforming people leading struggles for social justice. We publish first-time writers and we’re particularly interested in proposals from writers from communities historically excluded in the media, including sex workers and indigenous women. For example, our 2020 Documenting the Resistance reporting fellow Claudia Torrisi recently profiled the women uniting across Europe to resist threats to abortion rights in Poland.

Feminist Media

This series celebrates feminist media and calls out sexist and racist media. These stories celebrate feminist investigative journalists, our thinking and how we position ourselves. Stories could be, but not are not limited to: an interview with your favourite author; a listicle of which feminist (media/bloggers/influencers) to follow in different regions; book extracts; how tech enables certain narratives on women’s rights; and reporting and investigative techniques by feminist journalists. As an example, see our recent round-up of the films that scare ultra-conservatives.

HOW TO PITCH?

Please email short pitches in English, Russian or Georgian, rather than fully written pieces.

These should be sent to inge.snip@opendemocracy.net with “Eurasia pitch” in the subject line. Include a brief summary (no more than two or three short paragraphs) of your proposed article, along with a few notes about who you are, why you should write this piece, and why now. Tell us how it will add to or go beyond what has already been published (by openDemocracy or elsewhere). Include links where possible. Let us know when you could submit the piece and if you have access to any relevant multimedia assets that could help illustrate it.

Comment and analysis pieces should be 800-900 words. Features can be slightly longer, 1200-1400 words. Pitches for investigations, first-person accounts and photo essays are also welcome. Proposals with unique angles, under-represented perspectives and original analysis or reporting receive special attention.

We foster feminist collaboration in how we work with contributors. We publish first-time writers and we’ll prioritise the voices of black, brown, working-class, indigenous and migrant women, those from communities historically excluded in the media (such as sex workers), and LGBTIQ people being affected by the backlash against our rights and/or leading the resistance.

Please note that we receive an overwhelming number of pitches and tend to prioritise articles by women, trans and non-binary writers.

All accepted pieces will be paid. We commission about two articles a month. We will let you know within one month of receipt if your pitch has been accepted.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

• Questions / submissions: inge.snip@opendemocracy.net
• Website: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050

TO HELP YOU CRAFT YOUR PITCH:

• Learn more about the publication: openDemocracy's 50.50 is an independent feminist media that presents critical perspectives on social justice, gender, pluralism and equality worldwide. More information here.
• Read through a selection of recent articles/stories on its website.
• Review the submission guidelines here. Note that these are the publication's general guidelines to help you refine your pitch. You must still follow the editor's specific instructions above.
• Check out our collection of pitch excerpts on this page and find more sample pitches at The Open Notebook Database and at SuccessfulPitches.com.