Nominations open for IGAD Media Awards

As an organization dedicated to promoting peace, stability, and regional integration, IGAD recognizes the crucial role of media in informing, engaging, and empowering communities.

They invite journalists, storytellers, and media professionals from across the IGAD countries to submit their pieces, delving into the complexities of peace and security issues with the overarching theme, “Narratives of Hope: Inspiring Peaceful, Secure, and Inclusive Futures.”

Organized annually, each year’s awards revolve around different themes, reflecting the evolving challenges and opportunities within the region. From investigative journalism to digital storytelling, the IGAD Media Awards encompass a wide range of categories to recognize diverse forms of media excellence.

Award Information

• Winners will receive an invitation to a one-day training session covering IGAD’s mandate, programmes, challenges, and accomplishments. This session also offers a chance for networking with colleagues and drought centres of excellence.
• Additionally, winners will be granted accreditation to participate in select major IGAD events through a journalists’ accreditation process. This grants winning media professionals access to IGAD assemblies, content, and expert insights.
• Furthermore, winners will receive certificates and token prizes as recognition of their achievement.

Categories

• Print
• Radio
• TV
• Digital
• Photography
• National Language
• Lifetime Achievement Award
• Influencer

Who can participate?

• The awards are open to all practicing journalists, as well as freelancers, working in mainstream media or multimedia outlets from the 8 IGAD countries and who are citizens of one of the IGAD member countries: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.
• Foreign media practitioners can also participate.

Eligibility Criteria

• Submissions are open to all journalists, freelance or full-time, and independent content producers based in the IGAD region, and beyond.
• Submissions must be published or broadcast in media outlets based in the IGAD or beyond.
• Submissions must cover at least one or more IGAD member country.
• Applicants must be based in one of the IGAD member countries and must be a citizen of one of the IGAD member countries.
• Only the categories listed for competition are eligible for any news articles, broadcasts single topic or subject etc.
• If a story series is submitted, all parts of the story series must be entered into competition. Submission of content in local languages is encouraged, but it must be accompanied by translations and scripts in either of the IGAD official languages (English and French).
• If a story with a shared byline is submitted, a letter from an editorial supervisor must be provided, detailing each team member’s contribution.

For more information, visit IGAD.