International Association of Independent Journalists

Description

International Association of Independent Journalists Inc., or IAIJ, is a not-for-profit journalist association registered in Canada.

It supports amateur and professional journalists worldwide, including citizen journalists who are not affiliated with any union or guild. Members can become verified journalists by submitting a published news report. The association runs a diploma program, publishes a newspaper called The Fortress, and gives an annual award for outstanding journalism.

IAIJ was founded in October 2003 by Maurice Ali in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation in 2008. It later opened a second office in London, England. In 2011 it became an Institutional Member of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, and in 2016 it gained Consultative Status at the United Nations.

The association advocates for recognition and legal protection of citizen journalists and other online media workers. Its president and members have spoken at UNESCO and United Nations events, including the WSIS+10 Review Meetings, where UN member states adopted new protections for citizen journalists in December 2015.