Examining the Vital Role of Journalism in Upholding Human Rights: A Look at the 2023 Human Rights Press Award Winners

2023 Human Rights Press Awards honor journalists for shedding light on some of the Asia region’s most pressing human rights issues. Human Rights Watch, in partnership with the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, administered the awards, recognizing outstanding reporting in 16 categories covering various media formats, such as writing, photography, video, audio and multimedia. The awards drew 406 submissions from 33 countries for reporting published in Chinese or English during 2022.

Reuters news agency was awarded the top prize for investigative reporting in English for uncovering new details about Myanmar’s military abuses against the Rohingya and democracy activists. The investigations shed light on the junta’s crackdown and the sufferings of the people under its rule, despite tough reporting constraints.

The Guardian won the prize for best documentary in English for its reportage on “The Great Abandonment,” highlighting the extraordinary exodus of India’s migrant laborers during the COVID pandemic.

The Reporter, a journalistic nonprofit outlet in Taiwan, won the award for investigative reporting in Chinese for reporting on the human trafficking of African students by Taiwanese universities. The report exposed a criminal network and led to the Taiwanese government pressing charges against the offenders.

Furthermore, honorable mentions were given to works that reported on Chinese surveillance and aid workers in Taiwan, and child laborers in Nepal. No student categories were awarded due to insufficient entries.

Tirana Hassan, the executive director of Human Rights Watch, applauded the award recipients’ courage in shedding light on some of the most critical issues facing the Asia region today. She emphasized that this kind of journalism played a critical role in exposing human rights violations.

“This year’s awardees are now part of a proud tradition of outstanding human rights reporting in Asia – a tradition we intend to expand to other regions in the coming years to recognize such impressive and impactful human rights journalism from around the globe,” said Battinto L. Batts Jr., Ph.D., dean of the Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University.

The awards are announced annually on World Press Freedom Day, which falls on May 3 of each year. They were previously administered by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Hong Kong before Human Rights Watch and Arizona State University assumed responsibility in 2020 due to the Chinese government’s national security law in Hong Kong, which led to the closure of at least nine media outlets.

In conclusion, the 2023 Human Rights Press Awards highlights the importance of journalism in advocating for human rights, and recognizing the efforts of journalists in bringing important stories to light despite challenging situations. Through their reporting, these journalists uphold a proud tradition of outstanding human rights reporting in Asia, which serves as a beacon of hope that functions as a check and balance against the forces that would otherwise try to keep human rights violations in the dark.

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