- Digital Media Shakers
In the series, Digital Media Shakers, we highlight bold voices shaping public interest and independent media. These are individuals whose passion goes beyond the medium – they are working to create lasting change in the (digital) media industry.
Mais Katt doesn’t just report on conflict. She creates space for others to speak through it.
A journalist, editor, trainer, Mais is a leading voice in independent media across the Arab region. From documenting war and resistance in Syria to supporting women journalists in exile, her work centres dignity, inclusion and accountability.
In recognition of her impact, Mais was awarded the 2023 Jim Hoge Legacy Grant by the International Center for Journalists, shortlisted for the Arab Reporters for Investigate Journalism (ARIJ) award and nominated for the 2024 European Press Prize.
Mais has trained media professionals across the Middle East, at the RNTC Training Centre in Europe and beyond, encouraging journalists to bring a gender lens to conflict reporting and to challenge dominant narratives from within. Whether she’s investigating violations or mentoring others to do so, her goal is clear: build journalism that informs and empowers.
We recently caught up with Mais to talk about what drives her, how she sees journalism evolving and why feminist perspectives are essential in any conversation about the future of media. Check out our conversation!
RNW Media: What drew you to journalism?
Mais: I grew up in Damascus, a city ruled for decades by a dictatorial family. My father, mother and other relatives were imprisoned for opposing the Syrian regime. I spent my childhood smuggling news, stories from the streets and people’s voices to my father in the infamous Sednaya prison, hiding them in letters during prison visits.
RNW Media: What did that experience teach you about the role journalism plays in society?
Mais: I learned that journalism plays a vital role in exposing the truths those in power wish to conceal. Journalists help society understand what is really happening and empower people to express themselves. While many claim to speak on behalf of others, we as journalists create space for civilians to speak for themselves and say what they truly want to say.
RNW Media: One of our core focus areas is fostering democratic discourse around gender. What does that mean to you?
Mais: For me, promoting democratic discourse on gender in the Syrian context means creating participatory spaces where the voices of women and marginalised groups are genuinely heard, especially after years of exclusion during the conflict.
It means challenging the dominance of male elites in public debate and ensuring women play a central role in shaping media and political narratives. Not just as victims, but as key actors in peacebuilding and rebuilding society.
In my training sessions with Syrian journalists, I consistently integrate gender issues into discussions on transitional justice and human rights. These are not secondary concerns, but essential components of a broader democratic dialogue.
RNW Media: Can you share an example of what that looks like in practice?
Mais: For instance, when we train journalists to report on detention or displacement, we stress the importance of highlighting women’s experiences equally. We also examine how gender-based violence affects justice and reconciliation efforts in the long term.
In short, fostering democratic discourse on gender means ensuring that the story of a future Syria cannot be written without the voices of its women.
RNW Media: From your perspective, do women or human rights journalists feel safe and supported to share their stories?
Mais: Absolutely not. In some Arab countries, just using the word “gender” can lead to accusations or even imprisonment. Women journalists often censor themselves, replacing certain terms with more “acceptable” alternatives. Words like “feminism,” “gender” or “sexual health” are often avoided entirely.
We face major obstacles when reporting on issues like sexual harassment or sexual exploitation and abuse. Even when we have clear information and credible allegations, survivors and activists are often unwilling to speak out, even under pseudonyms.
We work under intense pressure and often have to come up with individual solutions to navigate each case.
RNW Media: What kinds of support or safeguards make the biggest difference for women journalists on the ground?
Mais: Fair employment contracts. That’s the most critical need. In conflict-affected countries, legal and administrative chaos is widespread. As a result, journalists, especially women, are often hired without formal contracts, sometimes just on verbal agreements. This leaves them vulnerable to exploitation, working without pay, for very little pay or under unsafe conditions.
They’re often pressured to take personal risks just to produce a competitive story. But when they’re injured or become ill, there’s no support. No unions, no institutions. The same is true for refugee women journalists and many of their male colleagues as well.
RNW Media: You started the incredible platform Women Who Won the War. What inspired that action? And why is it important to amplify women journalists’ perspectives in conflict contexts?
Mais: Journalism and media institutions across the Arab region are overwhelmingly male-dominated. Most outlets are led by men, and conflict makes it even harder for women journalists to work safely or effectively.
With Women Who Won the War, we made a conscious decision to back women journalists so they can move forward steadily and take on leadership roles in shaping the region’s media landscape.
RNW Media: What kind of change are you hoping to see through this work?
Mais:
You also train media professionals at the RNTC Media Centre. What are three lasting skills that the next generation of journalists should learn?
Mais: I deliver journalism training as part of capacity-building programmes for colleagues in the Arab region and in other conflict-affected places like Ukraine and Afghanistan, in both Arabic and English.
My training focuses on using contemporary tools to reshape journalism and present serious, in-depth stories in modern, interactive formats.
At the core of my approach is introducing new methods for developing stories. For example, using digital communities as both a source and a subject, leveraging social media for audience engagement and content creation and involving the public in reporting crimes and violations.
I believe journalism today must be collaborative. Journalists and the public need to work together. We must embrace shifting roles and adopt new tools and platforms if we are to remain relevant and serve our societies meaningfully.
Stay tuned for the next Digital Media Shaker in our series!
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