On 20 October, the International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) will celebrate its 10th annual "Courage in Journalism Awards" in New York City to honour women journalists for the courage they have demonstrated in carrying out their work. Founded in 1990, IWMF's mandate is "to advancethe role of women in the media throughout the world, based on the belief that no press is truly freeunless women share an equal voice." This year, Sharifa Akhlas of Afghanistan, Aferdita Kelmendiof Kosovo, and Kim Bolan of Canada will be recognized for their work. Additionally, PeggyPeterman, a reporter and editorial writer for the "St. Petersburg Times" in Florida for more than 30years, will receive IWMF's "Lifetime Achievement Award." Peterman will be recognised for her longhistory of work in supporting women and minority journalists.

Akhlas has faced arrest, beating and exile due to her decision to continue her journalistic work inspite of the ban on working women in Afghanistan. Currently a producer and reporter for the AfghanMedia Resource Center (AMRC) based in Pakistan, Akhlas still enters Afghanistan to interviewwomen and work on a range of human rights and social issues. Bolan continue her work on theIndo-Canadian community in Vancouver, despite the many death threats she has received throughmail, telephone and local radio shows. A reporter for "The Vancouver Sun", her work has criticallyaided several major police investigations concerning this community. Kelmendi, co-founder of theMedia Project and Director of Radio/TV 21, the only independent station in Pristina, Kosovo, wasforced to flee Kosovo upon the destruction of her station. Kelmendi continued to broadcast whilein exile in Macedonia. On 15 July she returned to Kosovo, where her station has become the firstAlbanian-language radio station to broadcast from Kosovo. For more information about the event,please contact the IWMF through email:
scryer@erols.com.