Press Release from the Shifa Gardi Award Committee
We, the permanent members of the International Shifa Gardi Award Committee, have decided to confer the 2025 Shifa Gardi Award upon Leila Molana-Allen, a PBS correspondent, after a comprehensive review of the works of female journalists worldwide over the past year. This Award recognizes her outstanding journalistic contributions, especially her reporting on oppressive practices in Syria.
Over the past two years, Leila Molana-Allen has delivered exemplary in‐depth investigative reporting from Israel and Palestine. Last year, she produced an exceptional investigative report on the abuses and human stories in Syria and executed remarkable field coverage.
Journalists around the world faced extremely challenging conditions last year due to prolonged warfare and bloody conflicts. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 124 journalists were killed in the past year. By conveying the suffering of the people, exposing oppressive practices, highlighting human stories, and reporting on riots and unlawful activities, journalists continue to confront repression. Consequently, last year proved particularly bloody for the global journalistic community.
During the fight against ISIS, Shifa Gardi emerged as a beacon of courageous journalism by exposing the oppressive practices of ISIS against civilians and, while covering one of these stories, lost her life to an ISIS landmine.
The International Shifa Gardi Award was established in 2017 in memory of Shifa Gardi’s life and work, and to honor female journalists worldwide. Since its inception, it has been awarded annually to an outstanding female journalist.
Shifa Gardi Award Committee
February 25, 2025
Over the past two years, Leila Molana-Allen has delivered exemplary in‐depth investigative reporting from Israel and Palestine. Last year, she produced an exceptional investigative report on the abuses and human stories in Syria and executed remarkable field coverage.
Journalists around the world faced extremely challenging conditions last year due to prolonged warfare and bloody conflicts. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 124 journalists were killed in the past year. By conveying the suffering of the people, exposing oppressive practices, highlighting human stories, and reporting on riots and unlawful activities, journalists continue to confront repression. Consequently, last year proved particularly bloody for the global journalistic community.
During the fight against ISIS, Shifa Gardi emerged as a beacon of courageous journalism by exposing the oppressive practices of ISIS against civilians and, while covering one of these stories, lost her life to an ISIS landmine.
The International Shifa Gardi Award was established in 2017 in memory of Shifa Gardi’s life and work, and to honor female journalists worldwide. Since its inception, it has been awarded annually to an outstanding female journalist.
Shifa Gardi Award Committee
February 25, 2025