WCP184 Human rights reporting with Sara Cincurova

Sara Cincurova is a freelance human rights journalist from Slovakia, focusing on migration, conflict, human rights, humanitarian issues, and women's rights. She has written for The Guardian, BBC News, The New York Magazine, Al Jazeera English, Der Spiegel, Foreign Policy, The HuffPost, The New Humanitarian, Women's Media Center and many more. Sara extensively covered the conflict in eastern Ukraine since 2014 and reported from Kharkiv and other cities in Ukraine as of  February 24, 2022. She has reported from more than twenty countries, and investigated issues such as sexualized violence against women dissidentents in Venezuelan prisons, violence against pregnant refugees in Libyan detention centers, women who were forced to cross the Mediterranean during pregnancy, forced sterilizations of transgender people in Slovakia, and investigated how domestic abuse impacted disabled victims in Covid times.  In this episode, Sara shares: How pitching, reporting, and writing stories that matter differs for smaller and larger reaching publications Challenges of being embedded on a search-and-rescue vessel in the Mediterranean as a journalist on board, and participated in the rescue of 408 refugees Follwing up with pregnant refugees, documenting what happened to them and their babies Using deep reporting for multiple outlets Interviewing sources about prior and current trauma Establishing safety and the importance of authenticity when reporting on a humanitarian crisis Desire to share the truth and protect others Working as a freelancer when war broke out  🔗 Mentioned in this episode:  Sara Cincurova’s website Sara Cincurova on Twitter @Sara_Cincurova ‘Parents risk children’s lives – the alternative is worse’: on board a migrant rescue ship in the Guardian ‘All I Can Do Is Pray’: Elderly and Disabled Women Left Behind in Eastern Ukraine in Women’s Media Center My journey out of Ukraine in the Cut Women rescued at sea reveal scale of alleged Libya abuses in the New Humanitarian Committee to Protect Journalists 🎁 Download my free guide on how to pitch freelance article ideas, “5 Proven Steps to Writing Queries that Sell.”   www.rebeccalweber.com/howtopitch ⭐ The best way to support the Writing Coach Podcast is to leave a review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let other writers know why you listen. ❤️ Share the podcast with other writers via your social media accounts or email newsletter, or leave a comment on Rebecca’s Instagram or Facebook feeds. 🔥 Work with Rebecca as your 1:1 writing coach I have a few spots opening up for writers who want private 1:1 coaching. If you’re keen to work with me privately, schedule a free consult call for us to discuss your writing goals and how coaching together can help you reach them faster. Apply for private writer coaching: www.rebeccalweber.com/coach ✏️ Join the waitlist for group coaching in Freelance Writer Bootcamp Break into your dream publications and get paid well while covering stories that matter. Alumni of my group coaching program have used the proven Bootcamp processes to break into the New York Times, the Guardian, Bustle, Fodor’s, Ms., Nat Geo Travel, Al Jazeera, the BBC, and many more.  Join the waitlist and you’ll be the first to hear when applications open, plus get access to an early bird bonus: www.FreelanceWriterBootcamp.com 📝 More info and complete show notes: www.rebeccalweber.com/podcast184