The award honors the memory of Rudaw journalist and news anchor Shifa Gardi who was tragically killed in a bomb attack in Mosul while covering the carnage of the Islamic State (ISIS) on February 25, 2017.
The award highlights the talent of female journalists on the front line who “bravely report and bear witness to realities that are often underreported.”
Since its inception, the award has been given to two outstanding journalists in ceremonies attended by global figures and renowned journalists. The last two awards were presented to Arwa Damon of CNN (2020) and Jenan Moussa of al-Aan TV (2019).
This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the award committee has chosen to host the ceremony virtually in an effort to adhere to public health regulations.
Sadly, 2020 was a difficult and bloody year for journalists across the globe. The United Nations has documented the killings of 62 journalists worldwide last year.
Most of the journalist deaths in 2020 that press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders documented were in countries that were at peace.
