The IWMF Honors 2020 Courage in Journalism Award Winners at 30th Annual Event

Virtual Ceremony Hosted by Christiane Amanpour

[Washington, DC – December 2, 2020] – On Tuesday, December 1, 2020, the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) honored women journalists who have exhibited extraordinary courage in reporting through oppression, conflict and attacks at its 2020 Courage in Journalism Awards ceremony. Marking the 30^th year of these distinguished awards, the virtual Washington Post Live event was hosted by Christiane Amanpour. Since the awards began in 1990, the IWMF has honored 105 journalists from more than 55 countries.

This year’s winners include Finnish journalist Jessikka Aro of Yle; Yakeen Bido, a freelance broadcast journalist in Syria; Uyghur journalist Gulchehra Hoja of Radio Free Asia; and Solafa Magdy, a multimedia journalist imprisoned in Egypt.

“A free press has never been more vital. The work of our award winners exemplifies the finest elements of journalism under challenging circumstances,” said Elisa Lees Muñoz, executive director of the IWMF. “We need the perspectives of women, people of color and journalists from under-represented communities reporting on what they see in their daily lives and in our world.”

Aro is one of the world’s foremost reporters on Russian information warfare, investigating troll factories while enduring constant harassment. Covering human rights in Egypt, Magdy was arrested in November 2019 for her reporting and remains in pre-trial detention. Bido is the first woman journalist to appear on-camera from Idlib to document the price of war on the vulnerable. Hoja reports on China’s genocide of Uyghurs while her family members sit in concentration camps or endure government surveillance.

The event also included a live conversation between Amanpour and the IWMF’s 2020 Gwen Ifill Award winner Yamiche Alcindor of The PBS NewsHour, who is leading the way for a new generation of Black women journalists covering national politics. Additionally, National Geographic editor-in-chief Susan Goldberg was recognized as this year’s Leadership Honoree for her lifelong career uplifting women journalists and telling underreported stories.

“Supporting a news media that reflects a diversity of voices is a cornerstone of democracy, and at the heart of the IWMF’s work,” said Amanpour. “It provides support and opportunities to journalists around the world who risk it all to bring us the truth. The Courage in Journalism Awards celebrate the women who embody this principle every day.”

The event recording is available at youtu.be/DU6c3hwM8yQ.

Celebrating 30 years of the Courage in Journalism Award, the IWMF would like to thank Bank of America, National Presenting Sponsor for the 14^th consecutive year, for its commitment to journalism, the IWMF and the pursuit of press freedom.

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About the International Women’s Media Foundation

Founded in 1989, the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) is the only global non-profit organization that offers emergency support, safety training, grants, reporting opportunities and funding avenues offered specifically for female 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.