The Guardian Achievements in International Development Award

The Guardian Achievements in International Development Award 2009 is sponsored by the Department for International Development and Marie Stopes International. 

Running concurrently with the Guardian International Development Journalism Competition, the award aims to celebrate outstanding contributions to global poverty alleviation.

How to nominate
The competition is open to individuals (NOT organisations) of any nationality and from anywhere in the world who, through achievements in work or life, have made an exceptional contribution to efforts to alleviate poverty in the developing world.

After the deadline, 24 July 2009, a highly qualified judging panel will select a shortlist of five finalists. Descriptions of the five finalists will be featured on this site and Guardian readers and site visitors will be invited to vote for the one they think most deserves the award. The public voting process will run between 24 August – 25 September.

The winner will be announced jointly with the winners of the Guardian International Development Journalism Competition 2009 at an awards ceremony on 19 November 2009 in London.

Please go the nomination page on the Guardian website to nominate your choice for the award.

Judging criteria
The Guardian Achievements in International Development Award aims to honour the unsung heroes of international development; those who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to make a positive difference to the lives and livelihoods of some of the world's most marginalised people.

Nominations are welcome for individuals of any nationality and based anywhere in the world, who - through achievements in work or life - have made an exceptional contribution to efforts to alleviate poverty in the developing world.

Nominees for the Award will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• the extent to which their activities and achievements have had a demonstrable and positive impact on poverty alleviation – either directly or indirectly
• the sustainability of their achievements in terms of longevity, legacy and impact
• the extent to which the nominee's activities and achievements have changed social situations, public attitudes, structures or policies that may be behind the poverty, exclusion or disempowerment of the people affected
• the ways in which the nominee has demonstrated inspirational leadership.

Judges
The five finalists will be selected based on both the relevance of their nomination and their achievements in that category.

The judging panel is made up of professionals who are either working in or have an excellent knowledge of international development issues:

Please note the judges' decision will be final and the organisers will not enter into any discussion or correspondence concerning the results.

Confirmed judges for 2009 include:

• Dana Hovig
  Marie Stopes International
• Rounaq Jahan
  International Affairs at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, New York
• Caroline Nursey
  BBC World Service Trust
• Lawrence Haddad
  Institute of Development Studies, Sussex
• Alan Rusbridger
  the Guardian