IWMF announces Courage in Journalism Award winners

Now in its 26th year, the IWMF Courage in Journalism Awards honours women journalists who set themselves apart by their extraordinary bravery, and the Lifetime Achievement Award is given in recognition of media industry pioneers who kick down barriers to equality and justice.

Winners

Mwape Kumwenda - Zambia Head of Community and Political News, Muvi Television: Constantly scrutinised for her in-depth reports uncovering social and economic injustices in Zambia, Mwape Kumwenda has influenced national policy and institutional reform. Her reporting has triggered investigations, resignations, and hundreds of arrests. Threatened with criminal prosecution, Kumwenda has fortified her work with an unwavering commitment to exposing hard truths.

Anna Nemtsova - Russia Moscow-based Contributor, The Daily Beast and Newsweek: Anna Nemtsova has been detained and held at gunpoint for her work in journalism. She has covered significant social justice issues and the conflicts in the Caucasus and Ukraine where she was exposed to indiscriminate artillery fire. Despite significant threats, she continues to unearth abuse of power and is driven by a deep compassion for marginalised communities.

Lourdes Ramírez - Honduras Freelance Journalist: For more than 20 years, Lourdes Ramírez has exposed human rights atrocities in Honduras at great personal risk. Ramírez pursues stories of corruption, unspeakable violence, and unsolved murders. As a result of her reporting, her family has been threatened, her employment has been terminated, and she has been forced to relocate and temporarily flee the country.

2015 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

Linda Deutsch - USA Special Correspondent Trial Reporter (retired), Associated Press: After nearly 50 years reporting on legal trials across the U.S., Associated Press Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch retired in December 2014 from a long and illustrious career. She has been a trailblazer and role model for women journalists. Her exemplary years of coverage of the American legal system made her a pioneer in the newsroom. She demystified some of the most high-profile cases in American legal history.

"At a time when journalists face deteriorating security conditions and press freedom is on the decline in many regions of the world, it is a honour to recognize these women and their commitment to empowering communities with the truth," said IWMF Executive Director Elisa Lees Muñoz.

The award winners will be honored at ceremonies in New York on October 21, 2015 and Los Angeles on 27 October 2015. For more information, visit iwmf.org/courage, and follow event announcements online at #IWMFcourage (@IWMF) on Twitter.