Maria Moreira Rato

Maria Moreira Rato is a Portuguese journalist with a strong focus on investigative reporting, human rights and social justice. Her work explores the intersections between health, gender, public policy and institutional accountability, with particular attention to the lived experiences of vulnerable and often unheard communities.
Throughout her career, Maria has reported on issues such as obstetric violence, female genital mutilation in Portugal, mental health, eating disorders and online spaces linked to self-harm among young people. Her reporting combines in-depth research, interviews and document analysis with a careful, ethical approach to storytelling. Her work has been published in several Portuguese outlets, including TVI, SOL, i and Comunidade Cultura e Arte.
Driven by a belief that journalism should inform, protect and challenge power, Maria is especially interested in long-form investigations and cross-border projects that contribute to public accountability and social change. She is drawn to collaborative, independent editorial environments and to stories that require time, sensitivity and persistence.
At the core of her work is a commitment to journalism that centers people rather than institutions: journalism that asks difficult questions, resists simplification and seeks impact beyond the news cycle.