A woman journalist from Afghanistan has been named Thomson Foundation's Young Journalist of the Year 2024.
The journalist, who we are not naming for her own safety, is forced to work in secret because of the severe restrictions imposed on women by the Taliban. She reports for The Afghan Times, a platform founded by Afghan women journalists and now run by journalists in exile in Dublin.
The judges commended the journalist's courageous reporting on the lives of Afghan women under Taliban rule, including her investigation into the forced closure of women-only restaurants, one of the few remaining spaces where women could work or socialise.
The reporter was unable to attend the Foreign Press Association's Media Awards ceremony in London due to the restrictions on women travelling in Afghanistan. Instead, an audio recording of her acceptance speech was played.
In it she remarked:
This award is a reminder that our efforts are seen and valued, even when it feels like we're fighting in the dark. Journalism in Afghanistan has become not just a profession but a mission - one to keep truth alive and give a voice to those who are often silenced. I accept this award on behalf of all the courageous journalists in Afghanistan who continue to report, despite the risks and restrictions we face every day.
--
Journalism in Afghanistan has become not just a profession but a mission.
Reporter, The Afghan Times - Young Journalist of the Year 2024 Salma Niazi, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Afghan Times, commented:
We are deeply honoured by this recognition of our reporters work, and we dedicate it to all our brave sisters at The Afghan Times who continue to risk their lives every day to tell the truth from inside Afghanistan. Despite the growing threats, censorship, and the severe restrictions on freedom of expression, these courageous women persist, reporting on the realities of our country with integrity and resilience.
Honouring Courageous Reporting The other two finalists, Somaiyah Hafeez and Aisha Farrukh, both from Pakistan, were celebrated for their outstanding work.
Somaiyah Hafeez, a 24-year-old freelance journalist, was recognised for her data-driven investigation on enforced disappearances in Balochistan, where there is an ongoing conflict between Baloch separatists and government. Being a finalist for the Young Journalist Award by the Thomson Foundation is not only about my work being recognised, but the struggle and the resistance of the communities that I cover being recognised and amplified, Somaiyah says. This is ultimately why I became a journalist.
Aisha Farrukh, 28, is the head of content at The Centrum Media, an independent digital news network. Her documentary on bonded labourers working in Pakistan's brick kilns exposed exploitative practices, including the illegal removal of a teenager's kidney to settle a family debt. I feel extremely honoured to be a finalist for this prestigious award, she says. I hope to set an example for aspiring journalists, especially young women, to come forward and share their stories with the world.
Recognising the Impact of Journalism All three finalists share a commitment to amplifying the voices of their lol communities through investigative reporting.
These journalists exemplify the bravery and skill required to uncover hidden truths and hold power to account, says Deborah Kelly, Director of Training and Communications at Thomson Foundation. Their dedication to local journalism not only informs their communities but connects their struggles to a global audience.
About the Young Journalist Award Now in its twelfth year, the Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award is a prestigious annual competition run in partnership with the UK's Foreign Press Association (FPA). It is open to journalists aged 30 and under from countries with a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of less than USD 20,000. This year's competition attracted 825 stories from 275 candidates across 64 countries.
Meet the Young Journalist Finalists 2024
Shortlist Young Journalist Award 2024
Yara El Murr: A year on from winning the Young Journalist Award
-- Explore our projects across the globe
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Liberty University on why broadcast technology isn't just a technical invest...
08/05/2026
COW Jobs: UGC, On-Camera Video Content
Brie Clayton May 7, 2026
0 Comments
UGC, On-Camera Video Content
April 17, 2026Documentary Editor - US,......
07/05/2026
Journalists reporting on Sudan are working in one of the most complex and fast-m...
07/05/2026
Multi-year partnership positions Victory+ as a free home for Dallas Cowboys orig...
07/05/2026
From sideline reporting to directing and producing, the talented sophomore is building a well-rounded foundation for a career in live sports production
In the ...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital has received two Future Best of Show awards at NAB Show 2026. The COBALT blueCORE platform was recognized by TV Tech, and the COBALT PACIFIC ULL-...
07/05/2026
ESPN analyst Mina Kimes will host the televised semifinals and finals of the 202...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI, the global film streaming platform, has selected Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner. Bitmovin's encoding infrastru...
07/05/2026
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises and the U.S. Soccer Federation have announced...
07/05/2026
Angel City Football Club (ACFC) and Victory have announced a regional broadcast partnership bringing live match coverage to fans across the greater Los Angeles...
07/05/2026
Spiideo has announced the launch of AI Highlights inside Spiideo Play, its automated sports production platform. AI Highlights combines video, event data, audio...
07/05/2026
Leostream Corporation has announced a unified remote access ecosystem for high-p...
07/05/2026
The Atlanta Dream has partnered with Victory to stream all locally broadcast Dream games for free, expanding the team's digital distribution strategy and g...
07/05/2026
Riedel Communications has announced the appointment of Marc Engroff as Chief Fin...
07/05/2026
SES and ARD, Germany's largest public broadcasting network, have announced a long-term extension of their satellite distribution partnership through 2039. U...
07/05/2026
UpLight Technologies delivers a flexible video and lighting system for a new televised sportLaunching the Pro Cheer League required more than creating a compell...
07/05/2026
Full Day Productions and GSE Worldwide have announced Spikes Under the Lights, a...
07/05/2026
Seit dem Start im Jahr 2023 hat DJ (Beta) das personalisierte H rerlebnis von 94...
07/05/2026
Da quando stata presentata nel 2023, DJ (beta) ha aiutato a definire un'esperienza d'ascolto pi personalizzata per 94 milioni di utenti Spotify Premi...
07/05/2026
Since launching in 2023, DJ (beta) has helped shape a more personalized listenin...
07/05/2026
Desde o lan amento em 2023, o DJ (beta) j ajudou a deixar a experi ncia de ouvi...
07/05/2026
From our earliest days, Spotify has been built on a simple principle: Great audio should be easy to reach. It's what's driven us to expand from music to...
07/05/2026
Asian and Pacific Islander artists continue to shape the global soundscape, pushing creative boundaries and connecting with fans worldwide. This Asian & Pacific...
07/05/2026
Company announce long-requested choir instrument
In the latest expansion of their Symphonic Elements series, UJAM have introduced an all-new vocal instrumen...
07/05/2026
Modular-inspired sound generation with digital control
Buchla have introduced Ziggy, a new compact synthesizer built around the company's complex oscill...
07/05/2026
Combines analogue voices with digital synthesis and sequencing
Polyend have announced Drums, a new hybrid analogue and digital drum machine that combines sy...
07/05/2026
Control surface now officially supports four DAWs
When Nektar launched the Panorama CS12 control surface, it worked exclusively with Apple's Logic Pro, ...
07/05/2026
In the first quarter 2026, SGL Carbon generated consolidated sales of 184.5 million, which was 49.8 million, or 21.3%, lower than in the prior year (Q1 2025: ...
07/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Greenerwave achieve precise and fast ESA antenna characteriz...
07/05/2026
Two multi-role L3Harris products - the Red Wolf launched effects vehicle and SK...
07/05/2026
L3Harris will be developing key features of a secure and resilient digital infra...
07/05/2026
Alysa Liu and Shohei Ohtani Help Drive Viewership as 91 of the Top 100 Broadcast...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital Wins Two Future Best of Show Awards at 2026 NAB Show
Manufacturer Recognized by TV Tech and TVBEurope for Innovation in signal processing
Cobal...
07/05/2026
Software and hardware platforms, AI power and user-friendliness on show...
07/05/2026
Intinor will demonstrate its latest technical enhancements for the Direkt series at BroadcastAsia 2026. With a continued focus on reliable contribution and remo...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI has chosen Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner, replacing MUBI's legacy on premises encoding setup to improve scalab...
07/05/2026
Meet Graduates from Berklees Class of 2026 Members of this years graduating class reflect on their proudest moments at Berklee and look ahead to whats next.
...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
At BroadcastAsia 2026, Interra Systems will demonstrate its latest innovations in automated quality control (QC), real-time monitoring, and captioning. The comp...
07/05/2026
At this year's Broadcast Asia, PlayBox Neo is set to unveil recent innovations across its PlayBox Neo Suite and integrated range of broadcast media solution...
A woman journalist from Afghanistan has been named Thomson Foundation's Young Journalist of the Year 2024.
