Anja Niedringhaus' approach to photojournalism was best said herself, “I do my job simply to report people’s courage with my camera and with my heart.”

The Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award was created to honor the life and work of Pulitzer Prize-winning AP photographer and IWMF Courage in Journalism Award winner Anja Niedringhaus (1965-2014), with a generous $1 million gift from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation. With this Award, the IWMF celebrates the courageous work of women photojournalists like Anja who inspire us to take action and better understand the world. This courageous work manifests in many different forms which may include but is not limited to conflict or frontline reporting.

Recipients of the Courage in Photojournalism Award will receive a cash prize of $20,000 and have their work showcased in Washington, DC. The IWMF will accept applications and third-party nominations in English until February 24, 2022. Please read the eligibility criteria and nomination guidelines, listed below, carefully before submitting a nomination. Entrants must be full-time women, non-binary or gender non-conforming photojournalists of any nationality.

Applications are not accepted based on length of work or engagement in conflict areas. No matter your level of experience, you have a story to tell; if you are dedicated to your work in journalism and passionate about your content, apply!

What winners receive

One winner will receive a $20,000 cash prize.

About the International Women's Media Foundation

Founded in 1990, the International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) is the only global non-profit organization that offers emergency support, safety training, reporting opportunities and funding avenues offered specifically for women journalists. We are making more women's bylines possible and work tirelessly to ensure a greater diversity of voices represented in the news industry worldwide. Follow the IWMF on Twitter at @IWMF, on Facebook at @IWMFPage, and Instagram on @TheIWMF.

Eligibility Criteria:

• The award is open to women, non-binary and gender nonconforming journalists.
• The candidate must be working as a journalist full-time, and journalism must be their primary profession.
• Both freelance journalists and those affiliated with media organizations are eligible.
• Must not have won or been recognized as an honorable mention for the award in the past five years.

Nomination and Application Guidelines:

• Each nomination and application must include candidate information, work samples made up of a series of 12 photographs, and a candidate/nomination statement.

• A candidate may either self-nominate or be nominated by an editor, mentor or journalist peer. If you are nominating someone else, you may either submit a full application (including a statement and work samples) or fill out an abbreviated nomination form via Google Forms. If you fill out the Google Form with the candidate's information, we will contact them and tell them you have nominated them to apply for the award. Please note that filling out the Google Form does not constitute or replace a full application in Picter, which must be submitted for the jury's consideration.

For Work Sample:

• The required work samples are 12 photographs that best represent the scope and style of the candidate's work, within the context of challenging reporting environments.

• The submission cannot include videos, art photography, illustrations, images with watermarks, photo grids (multiple photos within one image), text overlaid onto or next to the photograph, and photographs not taken by the photographer. Submissions with these elements will not be considered.

• Image size: minimum 1600px on the longest dimension (22.5 inches @ 72 dpi, JPG format)

• Each photograph must be accompanied by a caption describing the date, place, and situation captured.

• Six (6) of the photos must have been taken within the past two years (2020-2022). The other six can be taken at any time during the candidate's career.

• Limit one award submission per photographer.

For Candidate/Nomination Statement:

Submissions must include an up-to-500 words candidate/nomination statement written in English. Submissions without statements will not be considered.

1. What stories does the candidate tell through her photos?
2. Under what conditions does the candidate work?
3. How do the submitted photographs with this nomination capture the scope of the candidate's work?
4. How do the candidate's career and work reflect the values of Anja Niedringhaus?

Judging Criteria

• Quality of photography
• Composition of portfolio
• Storytelling ability
• Conditions under which the journalist worked
• Candidate statement
• Reflection of Anja Niedringhaus’s values