Five women journalists have been awarded thousands of pounds to examine economic and social inequality.

Women in Journalism Scotland and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation have announced the recipients of the inaugural WiJS x JRF bursary programme, which will give out grants of £1,500 to five successful applicants.

The successful journalists are Kyra Edwards, Enas Magzoub, Juliana da Penha, Claire Sawers and Jen Stout, who will each now work on a project to shine a light on economic and social inequality.

Part of the bursary programme involves working with an established woman journalist who will provide support for each applicant’s project. All five have now been matched with a mentor as their work gets underway.

Clockwise from top left: Enas Magzoub, Kyra Edwards, Claire Sawers, Juliana da Penha and Jen Stout.

The mentors have been unveiled as Glasgow Herald columnist Dani Garavelli, Herald writer-at-large Catriona Stewart, Karin Goodwin, co editor of investigative journalism platform The Ferret, Arusa Qureshi, who edits Edinburgh-based entertainment magazine Fest, and author Chitra Ramaswamy.

Gabriella Bennett, chair of Women in Journalism Scotland, said: “The recipients of our inaugural bursary programme are five hugely talented journalists working on a broad range of subjects.

“Their projects will enrich Scotland’s media landscape, telling essential stories and reflecting the reality of life in under-reported communities.

“Post-pandemic, and in a cost-of-living crisis, it has never been more important to give women journalists the funding and mentoring they need to progress their careers.”

Husna Mortuza, associate director for public engagement at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, added: “This inaugural programme could not be timelier.

“The number of people living in deep poverty in Scotland has risen dramatically, while the cost-of-living crisis continues to leave Scottish families hungry, cold and without a safety net.

“The five finalists announced today, with the invaluable mentoring from Women in Journalism Scotland, will bring their talent and expertise to projects designed not only to report on these pressing issues but to offer hope in the form of solutions.”