Nadia Al-Sakkaf

Yemeni journalist creating independent media amid civil war to amplify marginalized voices

Nadia Al-Sakkaf is the founder of Yemeni Observer, the first independent online news platform in Yemen established during the ongoing civil war (2015-present). Despite facing censorship and threats from warring factions, her site provides critical reporting on human rights abuses, women's issues, and community resilience. Al-Sakkaf pioneered a network of 150+ citizen journalists across Yemen's conflict zones, ensuring coverage reaches international audiences through partnerships with Reuters and BBC. Her investigative reporting exposed child soldier recruitment practices in 2021, leading to UN sanctions against rebel groups. In 2023, she launched the 'Yemeni Voices Archive' preserving oral histories of war-affected communities, now part of the British Library's digital collection. Al-Sakkaf also founded Women in Sahel Journalism, training 300+ female reporters in war-torn regions of Africa and the Middle East. Her work earned the 2022 Courage in Journalism Award from Reporters Without Borders. Al-Sakkaf's TEDx Talk 'Journalism as Survival' (2020) has 3.2 million views, inspiring media practitioners in conflict zones. Despite living in exile since 2018, she continues advocating for press freedom through her monthly podcast Conflict Chronicles. Her innovative use of encrypted reporting networks sets new standards for journalism in high-risk environments.