Celebrating Human Rights

In December 2008, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Internews and the Every Human Has Rights campaign, supported by The Elders, will celebrate a year of collaboration with leading human rights organisations through the Every Human Has Rights Media Awards.

“The Elders” is a group of world leaders convened by Nelson Mandela to use their wisdom, independent leadership and experience to tackle some of the world’s toughest problems. Other founding Elders are Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, Mary Robinson, Lakhdar Brahimi, Graca Machel, Muhammad Yunus, Fernando Cardoso, Gro Brundtland, Ela Bhatt and Jimmy Carter.

Participate

Internews is inviting mainstream and citizen journalists from around the world to participate in its Human Rights Media competition by submitting world and current affairs reports that have been published or broadcast after the 15th of September 2007 and which could be used to illustrate one or several articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in a context that is relevant to the issues facing our world today. Submitted reports will have to explicitly refer to those human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration.

Read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and illustrate it with your work.

Be creative

60 years later, show how the UDHR is relevant and contemporary by linking it with issues affecting your local audiences or readers and with the hot topics on the international agenda such as climate change, food security and migration.

Recognizing outstanding contributions by the Media:

30 journalists from around the world will be selected by a professional international jury and awarded an all expenses paid trip to Paris in December 2008, where they will meet Human Rights leaders and receive a prize for their contribution to illustrating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with powerful and eye-opening stories.

Amongst the 30 winners, the following special awards will be given:
• Best TV: EUR1000
• Best radio: EUR1000
• Best print (online and offline): EUR1000
• Best citizen journalism/blog item: EUR1000
• Best investigative report: EUR1500
• Most courageous investigation/best unpublished story: EUR2000
• Prize of the public for the most eye opening report: EUR1000

Publishing stories:

All winning stories, carefully selected and reviewed by an independent international jury, will be published on the award website & other sites (including on Google Earth) in their original language (with English translation), potentially leading to broadcast and publication by other local and international media outlets.

Deadline for applications:

Applications will be accepted until 15 September 2008, midnight, Paris time.