Yousra Ishaq is an accomplished investigative journalist and a documentary producer from Yemen. She has a strong background in producing award-winning projects for international media outlets, including the BBC, New York Times, Channel 4 and PBS. Her experience as a local producer, investigative researcher, and fixer positions her as a valuable asset in investigative journalism, capable of informing and captivating diverse audiences. Her investigative work focuses on Yemen and the wider Middle East, looking at issues such as the involvement of the Houthis in regional tensions. She works on critical issues such as the use of US drones, arbitrary detentions, famine and various aspects of the Yemeni conflict. Years of research on location in Yemen form the basis for her documentaries. She has also collaborated with global organizations such as the WHO and UNICEF.

In addition to her own work, Yousra is committed to supporting the next generation of filmmakers. She has trained several female filmmakers in 2021 to enable them to produce and direct their own films. As a co-founder of Comra Films, Yousra became an industry and thought leader and dedicated her career towards the advancement of film production and investigative journalism in the region. Yousra’s work and collaboration with international teams have been featured in PBS and has been nominated for an Emmy Award.

Yousra Ishaq was a current fellow of the Research and Recharge Fellowship at RSF in 2023. As one of the few filmmakers in Yemen she decided to shed light on the importance of the role of women in Yemeni society by following a 60-year-old female coffee farmer in her daily life. The film was shot in the border area between Yemen and Saudi Arabia.