Yana Buhrer Tavanier
Yana Buhrer Tavanier is a freelance journalist from Sofia, Bulgaria. Previously she was editor of weekly Capital, and worked as a journalist for Tema magazine and daily Dnevnik.
Yana is also author of the publication ‘Reporting Diversity, a Guide for Journalists’ (British Council; 2008) and co-author of the ‘Human Development Report’ (UNDP Bulgaria; 2006). She directed a documentary film about racism towards Africans in Bulgaria called ‘Black in White’, and is a winner of several prestigious awards, including the award for best investigative article (co-established by The Guardian Foundation, London; 2005).
In 2009 Yana was awarded with the third prize at the end of the Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence annual programme for the article “Institutions Remain Dumping Grounds for Forgotten People”.
Yana investigated conditions in mental institutions in the Balkans. She was looking at the case of Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia and revealed how mentally-disabled people are treated and what the common problems are in these countries.
Yana's research was supervised by Albena Shkodrova, an editor from Bulgaria and a BIRN associate.
Fellowship Portfolio
Institutions Remain Dumping Grounds for Forgotten People
Reform is coming too slowly to institutions for adults with intellectual and mental health disabilities in Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia, where chronic neglect, filthy conditions, and the use of physical restraints and high-dosage drugs to control behaviour remain routine.
The Alumni Network
What is the Alumni Network?
The Alumni Network is an ever-expanding group of journalists who have all participated in the Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence.
Projects
Turkey and the Balkans
The re-emergence of Turkey as a growing economic, political and religious power in the Balkans is the subject of the latest Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence Alumni Initiative project.
Roma Decade
Twelve countries, including several Balkan states, have signed up to the European Roma Decade 2005-2015 initiative. Halfway through the decade, has any real progress been made?
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
