First fellowship to focus on gender-based violence

Ruth First's contribution to critical, independent, socially-engaged writing is being commemorated through the establishment of a 3-6 month fellowship by the Wits University Journalism Programme, in conjunction with the Ruth First Trust and supported by the Heinrich Boell Foundation. First was a journalist, activist and intellectual killed by the apartheid government while in exile.

The Fellowship is intended to allow a journalist/writer/researcher the space to pursue an in-depth project, to be published in any medium. It should be groundbreaking and keep within the tradition of First.

Fellows will receive a monthly stipend and research costs. They will be expected to present their work at a public event within six months of acceptance of the proposal and to submit it for publication/broadcast through an appropriate outlet. Fellows will be based at the Investigative Journalism Workshop at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

For 2006, the Fellowship will focus on the issue of gender-based violence.

Applicants should submit their CV and a project proposal (of no more than two pages) by 9 June 2006 to the Ruth First Committee by email, fax or post.

Email
Fax +27 (0)11 717 4081

Journalism Programme
Private Bag 3
Wits
2050

Further details are available at www.journalism.co.za.