The Humanitarian Storytelling Award recognises the work of an individual, team or news organisation that highlights the impact of humanitarian crisis and/or conflict on people and communities.
Examples might focus on the impact of humanitarian crisis, conflict, climate change, sexual violence, human trafficking, migration, displacement, detention, gender or disability, as well as emerging trends in crisis and conflict, including new weapons technologies and humanitarian action.
Eligible formats include rolling coverage, a series of news reports or features, a single longform piece or photographic essay. Entries can be any medium (text, audio or visual) and published on any platform (digital, print, podcast or broadcast).
Entries must demonstrate how the reporting was realised, how the below criteria were considered and represented and provide evidence of impact. Judges will also consider deadlines, resources and other pressures or dangers faced by entrants.
Judges will evaluate submissions according to the following criteria:
- Focus on people affected by humanitarian crisis and/or the impact of conflict – rather than just the politics.
- Representation of people that is inclusive, compassionate, preserves dignity, and does no harm.
- Participation by communities or individuals featured in the story in aspects of the storytelling itself – this award recognises stories that show the diversity of experiences of people living through humanitarian crisis and/or conflict.
- Opportunities to elevate diverse voices, prioritising those of marginalised groups and communities.
- Awareness of and sensitivity to the risks people made vulnerable by crisis and/or conflict may be exposed to when sharing their story.
- Focus on neutral, impartial and non-political storytelling.
- Impact and public benefit.
- Adherence to ethical standards.
- Time constraints and resources available.
- Innovation, enterprise or courage.
- Highlights stories in other countries around the world, with less of a focus on Australia or Australian involvement.
Entries may be a single piece or a body of work up to three pieces. All forms of media are accepted. Entries are open to works produced in languages other than English but a full English transcript must be provided.
All entries must have been published or broadcast and available in Australia between April 27, 2023 and April 15, 2024.
Each entry to the Mid-Year Celebration of Journalism is judged on how well it responds to:
- the category description; and
- judging criteria.
Please note the Humanitarian Storytelling Award is subject to its own judging criteria (detailed above).
