IWMF 2021 Courage in Journalism Awards Honor Women from Belarus, India, Peru, and the United States
Organization Introduces ‘Justice for Women Journalists Award’ from Wallis Annenberg
[November 5, 2021 – WASHINGTON, DC] – Last night the International Women’s Media Foundation recognized the extraordinary bravery of five women journalists around the world with a live broadcast honoring their contributions to the news media industry. Hosted by CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, the 31st annual awards ceremony was broadcast by The Washington Post, and featured commentary from the ceremony’s chairman, President of CNN Worldwide and Chairman of WarnerMedia News and Sports, Jeff Zucker, and the network’s National Correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux.
Celebrating a new partnership with the IWMF, Wallis Annenberg (Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of The Annenberg Foundation) also joined the broadcast to debut a newly named recognition – the ‘Wallis Annenberg Justice for Women Journalists Award,’ which she dedicated to this year’s winners, two women journalists (Katsiaryna Andreyeva and Darya Chultsova) currently imprisoned in Belarus. Annenberg pledged to fund the IWMF’s critical work to support women journalists through 2025.
“It is unacceptable to me that journalism and the truth are under siege right now,” said Annenberg. “Too many journalists, especially women, are subject to harassment and attack. That is why I joined the International Women’s Media Foundation to present the Justice for Women Journalists Award; I am so proud to honor the brave women journalists who are on the frontlines of our most cherished freedoms and ideals.”
Acceptance speeches were also made by U.S. freelance photojournalist Vanessa Charlot, ABC newspaper’s Paola Ugaz from Peru, Meera Devi and Geeta Devi, on behalf of the Khabar Lahariya newsroom in India, and from Belarus, Ihar Ilyash – accepting the award for his wife, Andreyeva, his wife, as well as Chultsova.
“Every year the IWMF hosts the Courage Awards to pause and recognize the important, singular work of journalism, and the contributions that women journalists make to the field,” said Elisa Lees Muñoz, executive director of the IWMF. “It’s our mission to support these women no matter the barrier, and to keep them in the news industry where their voices can always be heard.”
The 2021 Courage Awards also included a live conversation between Amanpour and the IWMF’s 2021 Gwen Ifill Award winner, Sisi Wei of OpenNews, who has broken new ground with critical Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work among countless journalists, including the formation of the DEI Coalition and the Journalists of Color Slack community.
Celebrating 31 years of the Courage in Journalism Awards, the IWMF would like to thank Bank of America – the Courage Award’s National Presenting Sponsor for a remarkable 15th consecutive year – for its commitment to journalism, the IWMF and the pursuit of press freedom.
A replay of the 2021 Courage in Journalism Awards is available at: https://courage.iwmf.org/program.
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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 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.
Media Contact:
Charlotte Fox
Director of Communications
cfox@iwmf.org
(202) 567-2615