The International Women’s Media Foundation (IWFM) has chosen the late Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, among other women journalists, as winners of the Courage in Journalism Awards for the year 2023, according to a statement published on their official website.
The winners include Maria Teresa Montaño Delgado, a Mexican freelance journalist and director of the investigative portal The Observer, and Iranian journalist Yalda Moaiery.
The IWFM said in a tweet that "we are proud to recognize her [Abu Akleh] intrepid reporting through this posthumous #IWMFCourage award."
Abu Akleh was born in Jerusalem in 1971 and has a degree in journalism from Yarmouk University in Jordan. After graduation, she returned to Palestine to work in her field and joined Al-Jazeera in 1977.
On May 11, 2022, Abu Akleh was killed this morning during Israeli army assault in the northern West Bank city of Jenin. The Ministry of Health said Abu Akleh was hit by a live bullet in the head. She was rushed to hospital in critical condition and later pronounced dead.
She was one of the most known faces among Al-Jazeera correspondents.
Abu Akleh’s importance comes from the fact that she was one of the most influential, prominent, and hard-working women in the field of journalism and media in Palestine who worked for over 25 years for Al-Jazeera, covering the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
According to the IWMF official website, Abu Akleh’s family reacted to her posthumous winning of the award, “We are honored that this year’s IWMF Courage in Journalism Award recognizes Shireen’s career, legacy and bravery. This award is a testament to Shireen’s courageous voice that echoed through every home in Palestine. Her work has inspired generations of young women and girls to pursue careers in journalism, and we hope this award will remind the world of Shireen’s legacy, reporting and contributions to journalism. Most importantly we hope the Courage Award will bring us closer to achieving accountability and justice. While our family continues to grieve this insurmountable loss, these honors bring us comfort and solace. Thank you, IWMF.”
