The United Nations (UN), a global intergovernmental organization established to maintain international peace and security, has announced that applications are now open for the 2026 edition of the Reham Al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship, which provides an opportunity for young working journalists from developing countries and countries with economies in transition to cover the UN.
The 2026 fellowship is scheduled to take place over four weeks between September and October 2026, while the format of participation, whether fully virtual or partially in person, will be determined at a later stage.
Eligible applicants are journalists aged 22 to 35 from developing countries and countries with economies in transition, including Nigeria and several other nations across Afghanistan, Albania, Egypt, Lebanon, etc. Journalists who are citizens of eligible countries but live abroad and work for international media organisations can also apply, provided they cover the United Nations or UN priority issues relating to their country of citizenship.
The programme is open to full-time working journalists; freelance journalists can also apply, provided they submit strong work samples related to the United Nations and its priority issues, documentation of press accreditation, such as membership in a press union, syndicate, or professional association. However, individuals who are only studying or teaching journalism at a higher education institution are not eligible.
Applicants are required to submit at least five work samples related to the United Nations or its priority issues published within the last six months and these should be submitted in their native language, a copy of their passport or national identification, a curriculum vitae in English, and two reference letters, and all supporting materials must be uploaded to a file-sharing platform such as Google Drive or Dropbox, with the access link included in the application form to allow reviewers to view or download the documents.
Journalists working in television or radio are expected to provide links to their publicly accessible broadcast materials, where available online, or alternatively upload the media files to a file-sharing platform and share the link in the application form, while ensuring the privacy settings allow reviewers to access the files.
Applicants must be proficient in English, as the programme brings together journalists from different parts of the world, and English serves as the primary language for communication during briefings and discussions, although fellows are free to publish their stories in their own languages.
Applicants will be assessed on their age, professional experience, reporting on the UN’s work, the quality of their journalism portfolio, and audience reach, while also taking into account geographic diversity and gender balance.
To complete the application, applicants should type their name in the declaration field at the bottom of the form and ensure they click “Submit.”
Applications for the 2026 programme opened on February 16, 2026, and will close on April 3, 2026. The selection process will evaluate applicants based on several factors, including age, professional experience, coverage of the United Nations and its work, the strength of their journalism portfolio, and audience reach, while also taking into account geographic diversity and gender balance.
Interested applicants can submit their applications through the official portal: https://www.un.org/en/raf/application2026, and to access full programme details and Frequently Asked Questions visit: https://www.un.org/en/raf.
