London, 19 July 2010: Global sexual and reproductive health agency Marie Stopes International congratulates the 16 journalists chosen as the finalists of this year’s Guardian International Development Journalism Competition. The eight amateur and eight professional writers, whose entries highlight important themes around global poverty, will visit developing countries to write features on international issues.
"The talent we witnessed from this year’s journalists – both amateur and professional – is utterly inspiring,” commented Michael Holscher, Senior Vice President at Marie Stopes International. “They explore themes affecting impoverished nations whilst publicising crucial issues that, unfortunately, are often underrepresented in the media. We are proud to help provide exciting opportunities for these talented writers.”
For example, amateur finalist Catherine Spring has examined the necessity of achieving Millennium Development Goal 5, concluding that simple actions to decrease maternal mortality can dramatically impact women in rural Africa. She identifies current issues affecting maternal health, such as transportation, conflict, government inactivity and the lack of basic life saving drugs in Northern Uganda.
Finalists were chosen from hundreds of entries by a panel of judges comprised of journalists and international development specialists. The finalists will each embark on trips to countries in Africa and Asia during August and September to investigate international development issues first-hand. Their final articles will be published in two special supplements produced by The Guardian in November.
Please visit http://www.guardian.co.uk/journalismcompetition/finalists to read the finalists’ impressive entries.
Marie Stopes International partnered with the Guardian in 2008 to establish the competition in collaboration with other UK-based non-governmental organisations. The competition also receives funding from UKaid from the Department for International Development (DfID) and is sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline. Other NGO partners in 2010 include: CBM UK, Hives Save Lives Africa, Leonard Cheshire Disability, Malaria Consortium, ORBIS UK, Saferworld and Save the Children.
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For more information, please contact:
Michael Tirrell
Marie Stopes International
+44 (0)20 7034 2089
michael.tirrell@mariestopes.org