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The Guardian International Development Journalism Competition 

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What is the Guardian International Development Journalism Competition?

The competition is aimed at encouraging a new generation of journalists and urging them to move beyond disaster reporting to examine the more complex issues underlying global poverty, and to highlight challenges to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

It involves an innovative partnership between The Guardian, the Department for International Development, business sponsors and a consortium of eight international development NGOs, of which the Malaria Consortium is one, and led by Marie Stopes International (MSI), covering different aspects of the development agenda, which complement rather than duplicate one another.  The other NGO partners are CamFed, Water Aid, Plan UK, International HIV/AIDS Alliance, HelpAge International and Sightsavers International.

To view the project's official website, go to www.guardian.co.uk/developmentcompetition  

To download the poster for the competition, click here 

The competition is open in two streams, to aspiring or freelance journalists, who are based in the UK only. The deadline for entries is 6th May 2008. The entries will be shortlisted and 16 finalists will receieve an assignment to visit Africa or Asia to write a feature that will be published in special Guardian supplements later this year.

What are the competition's aims?

This project aims to increase UK public awareness of issues affecting developing countries and secure UK public commitment and support for increased financial and practical assistance from the UK government and European Community towards alleviating poverty in developing countries

Why is Malaria Consortium involved?

The Malaria Consortium feels it is important to be part of this project in order to not only encourage a new generation of creative talent in the field of development journalism but to fill the need for regular, relevant and thought-provoking coverage highlighting the linkages between health, education and poverty to capture public interest, especially that of a younger audience.  

Both traditional and new media have a huge influence on public knowledge and attitudes.  It will also involve the general public in direct advocacy, both to press the UK government for more support, and to promote an understanding of the role that individuals can play. Ultimately the project will increase awareness, commitment and support for international efforts to reduce poverty and promote development, including the Millennium Development Goals.

Malaria is a disease affecting populations with least access to media coverage (especially young children & pregnant women in the poorest parts of the world). Malaria Consortium not only runs projects to support delivery of malaria control, but is also active in advocacy for malaria, which includes raising awareness of this disease through increased media coverage.  

To view Malaria Consortium's press release following the launch of the competition, click here

Some information to get you started (please read carefully):

  • The pages and links we have provided are meant to give additional help where needed to those who have chosen to write about either Access to Life Saving Treatment!, Malaria & Complex Emergencies/Post conflict situations, Preventing child deaths! or Neglected Tropical Diseases as the topic for their entry in the Guardian journalist competition. It is intended as a supplement to the information already available on the  official project website.
  • The links are intended as supplementary references to the main briefings already provided on the Guardian website. This is because Malaria Consortium does not have the capacity to respond to individual queries from people entering the competition. 

Please note: 

  • Malaria Consortium does not take responsibility for the accuracy of content on any of these sites; they are merely suggested references for further investigation.
  • By listing the below Malaria Consortium is not endorsing any organisation or their work. The links are for reference only.
  • The references provided are by no means exhaustive and it not essential to use them in order to gain merit in the competition.  

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