The ‘Africa Photojournalism Award invites the submission of images that creatively and artistically address the topic of the future in Africa. The key objective is to identify motifs that show a modern, self-confident, positive-inspiring and artistic view of Africa’s future and the associated themes of youth, innovation, progress and development. The pictures should convey the message that Africa is a continent of opportunity.

Submissions are invited under the following seven categories, guided by aspirations of Agenda 2063: 

• Category 1– Agriculture, Rural environment, land rights and skills development
• Category 2– Regional economic integration, transport and information infrastructure
• Category 3– Good governance: Human rights, justice and rule of law, Democracy and Digitalization
• Category 4– Peace and Security: Conflict Prevention and Transformation, Mediation
• Category 5– Youth, women and children empowerment
• Category 6– Africa’s young research excellence and innovative solution building
• Category 7– Silencing the Guns in Africa (AU Theme of the Year 2020)

Selection: A Jury of professionals will select three finalists per category, who will be announced on 26^th November 2020. Images submitted by finalists will be published and showcased in various partner publications and activities. Finalists will produce a short video explaining their entry and post this on their Instagram, where they will direct the public to vote via the project page on AWiM website.

Winners: Winners will be announced on 7th December 2020, and receive a cash prize of $500 each. They will also have the opportunity to present their pictures to the international community through activities of African Women in Media, African Union and GIZ.

Eligibility:

1. Professional and amateur photographers are invited to submit their work, therefore both published and unpublished works are permitted
2. Participants must have the nationality of a member state of the African Union, and be at least eighteen years of age
3. Only pictures taken in a member state of the African Union are permitted.
4. Applicants can submit up to two entries across all categories
5. Joint submissions are permitted provided the submitted images are authored by the entrants
6. The photographer(s) must be the author(s) of the pictures submitted in his/her/their name, and own copyright or have been authorized by the copyright holder(s) to submit the pictures
7. Submitted images can be as a single picture or as part of a story, or as part of a body of work in Long-Term Projects.
8. Images must be free of any name or text on the image itself, instead a clear caption, in English, must be provided on submission
9. No entry fee is payable.
10. Only entries submitted between 19 October 2020 – 20 November 2020 will be considered
11. All entries must be submitted via the official contest form, and must comply with the rules and eligibility criteria set. Entries sent in other ways, and/or that do not comply with the rules and eligibility criteria, will not be accepted.
12. Any entries that are late, illegible, fraudulent, or which bring/would be likely to bring the reputation of African Women in Media, African Union, and GIZ into disrepute will be rendered ineligible to participate in the Awards and will be disqualified.
13. You will grant African Women in Media, African Union, and GIZ unrestricted, unfettered and irrevocable non-exclusive rights in all works submitted for entry into the Awards (or where such rights are owned by a third party, you shall procure that such third party grants such rights) for African Women in Media, African Union, and/or GIZ to use such works in any way it determines in its sole discretion.
14. Entries will be judged by a panel of distinguished, independent judges with appropriate knowledge and experience of photography. The panel of judges will be determined by African Women in Media, African Union, and GIZ in its/their sole discretion and will meet in November 2020.
15. Judges reserve the right to not select entries that do not meet the required standards.
16. Judges reserve the right to transfer entries for consideration in other categories at their discretion.
17. The judges uphold the integrity and reputation of the AWIM Photojournalism Awards and, as such, reserve the right to disqualify any piece of work and/or finalist if, in the judges’ opinion, there exists reasonable doubt about the authenticity and/or ownership of the submitted entry and/or the integrity of the finalists.
18. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
19. Categories and sponsors of the awards may be subject to change.
20. Finalists will be required to sign affidavits of eligibility, confirming amongst other things copyright ownership and/or clearance of all images submitted, and containing releases granting African Women in Media, African Union, and GIZ and all sponsors of the Awards, the right to use their names, voices, pictures and work submitted, without compensation, in any media for the purposes of advertising/public relations, training, exhibiting and promotion of all matters related to the Awards
21. You hereby consent that African Women in Media, African Union, and GIZ may share the information you provide with the partners and judges of the Awards.
22. Three finalists will be announced per category and one winner will be selected per category
23. African Women in Media, African Union, and GIZ and all sponsors of the Awards disclaim any liability for loss to any person or property relating to the delivery and/or subsequent use of, or participation in, any of the prizes awarded. The winners agree to abide by any and all terms and conditions of the supplier(s) of the prizes. The promoter is AWiM.
24. The Competition shall be covered and construed with international law.
25. You acknowledge that this is only a Competition and the awarding of any prize does not give rise to an employment, agency or joint venture relationship or arrangement between you and African Women in Media, African Union, and/or GIZ
26. By submitting your entry, you confirm that you have read and agree with these rules

Kindly Submit your entry here