Competition rules (extract)

  1. Print, radio, TV and online journalists, photojournalists and bloggers from any country are invited to participate in the Every Human Has Rights (EHHR) Media awards (as individuals or as part of a group), with the exception of Internews employees.
  2. All applicants are expected to have read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and decided if and how their work could illustrate one or more of its articles.
  3. Applicants (individually or in a group) can only send one application (series of articles* are counted as one). Applicants submitting more than one application will be automatically disqualified.
  4. Applicants must submit one news and current affairs report/piece or series (documentaries, research works or other non-journalistic works will not be accepted), specifically referring to human rights. These media items do not need to refer explicitly to specific articles of the UDHR but applicants must be able to demonstrate how they can be used to illustrate one or more of its articles. See also point 7 bellow.
  5. Works submitted should have been published since September 15th, 2007 (a publication and non-profit use authorization to be signed by the author and editor is included in the application form). In cases where publication has not been possible or suppressed, applicants should explain why.
  6. For TV and radio pieces, the script should be attached in addition to audio/visual versions of the stories. Pieces submitted should not be longer than 15 minutes.
  7. Articles/reports can be submitted in any language. However, a summary showing how the piece illustrates one or more articles of the UDHR, and highlighting its content and relevance locally and internationally should be provided in one of the following languages: Chinese, Spanish, English, Arabic, French and Russian.
  8. Applications can only be made online and between August15 and September15, 2008
  9. Titles of files uploaded should clearly indicate the surname and the country of applicant
  10. A first selection will be done at the regional level based on the summaries mentioned under point 7 by Internews regional offices.
  11. 10 applications per region will be recommended for international selection for each of the following regions:
    • North America
    • Africa
    • Latin America
    • Eurasia & Europe
    • Asia & Australia
    • Middle East & North Africa
  12. Further selection will be made by an independent jury consisting of a maximum of 8 Human Rights and Media experts, independent from Internews. The jury will meet and select 30 original content stories from the 60 pre-selected stories. Selection for special awards and prizes will be made by the same jury amongst the 30 selected stories
  13. Selection for the prize of the public will be made through the awards website.
  14. The jury may choose not to award special prizes if applications do not meet the minimum standards defined by the jury for its selection.
  15. Decisions taken by the jury should be considered final and cannot be appealed.
  16. Each winner will be invited to come to Paris (all expenses paid) in December 2008, where they will meet Human Rights leaders and receive a trophy for their contribution to illustrating the UDHR with powerful and eye-opening stories. In the case of group applications, only one author will be invited to Paris. Those applying as a Group are expected to select one author to travel to Paris to receive the prize.
  17. 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
    • 1 prize of the public for the most eye-opening report: EUR1000
  18. All winning stories will be published on the awards website and on Google Earth. Internews reserves the right to publish all or any of the non-winning stories on the awards website. Applicant(s)/author(s) should include in their application an authorization for publication on these websites, and for non-profit use by the awards organizers and partners. Negotiations regarding media rights with other entities should be done directly by the applicant(s)/author(s)/editor(s).
  19. Applications will be accepted until 15 September 2008, midnight, Paris time (France).
  20. The Elders, the EHHR Campaign and its partners, and all other partners of the EHHR media awards should not be considered liable or responsible for the EHHR media awards, which are the sole responsibility of Internews.
  21. Force Majeure - Internews will accept no liaiblity arising out of circumstances around the organisation of the Awards beyond its control such as unforseen cancellation of UDHR celebration events cancelled by third parties.

    * Series of articles: several articles published together as a series, i.e. at regular intervals (for example: 1/week), under the same title and in the same section of a newspaper, program, or other.