Filipina Photojournalist Wins Int’l Award for “Drug War” Coverage

FILIPINA PHOTOJOURNALIST Eloisa Lopez was named by the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) as the recipient of the 2019 Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award for her coverage of the Duterte administration’s “drug war.”

Lopez is a freelance photographer who specializes in stories on human rights, women and religion. She is a contributing photographer for the international news organization Reuters. “In 2016, after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte won the elections and declared a war on drugs, Lopez documented the nightly killings across Metro Manila as a personal project,” the IWMF said.

Lopez’ work was exhibited alongside those of other photojournalists covering the “drug war” at the Prix Bayeux Festival in Normandy, WARM Festival in Sarajevo and at the World Council of Churches in Geneva.

Lopez expressed her gratitude for the award, which she shared with her colleagues and families who are fighting impunity.

“It’s hard to find the words to express what a deep honor this award is for me. I share it with my fellow journalists and photographers who continue to document this story. Courage is being able to speak out when many refuse, stepping outside of what’s normal despite the risks and knowing the consequences. This award is for the families in this community, to show them that they are not alone in fighting impunity.”

She, along with this year’s honorable mentions–American photojournalist Mary Calvert and Saudi Arabian freelance photojournalist Tasneem Alsultan–will be honored in a ceremony at the residence of German Ambassador Emily Haber in Washington D.C. in June.

The Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award honors brave women journalists who document underreported stories in challenging or underserved environments while capturing poignant moments of humanity. It was created to honor German Associated Press photojournalist Anja Niedringhaus, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2014.

IWMF was founded in 1990 as a global non-profit organization that offers emergency support, safety training, reporting opportunities and funding avenues specifically for female journalists.