6 May 2021  GENEVA  (ILO News) 

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is launching its seventh annual Global Media Competition . Its aim is to recognize fair and balanced reports that contribute to the elimination of xenophobia and discrimination against migrant workers, and highlight the positive contributions migrants make to society. 

This year, judges are particularly interested in coverage of the impact of COVID-19 on labour migration and fair recruitment, including those relating to migrant care workers. Stories about migrant domestic workers will also be viewed favourably, since this year marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the ILO’s Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189) . 

The competition is open to professional and student journalists and will be judged by a panel of international migration and journalism experts. The winning entries will be selected according to a range of criteria including creativity, accuracy, balance and the positive portrayal of labour migration, with a focus on the protection of migrants.  

“The media play an important role in combatting the entrenchment of discriminatory attitudes towards migrant workers in societies and the workplace through transparent reporting and well-documented and ethical journalism. The COVID-19 pandemic  has further highlighted this need for quality media reporting,” says Michelle Leighton, Chief of the ILO Labour Migration Branch and one of the competition judges. 

Three professional prizes and one student prize will be awarded. Winners can choose between a cash prize of USD1,200 in the professional category and USD500 in the student category, or a paid fellowship to participate in an online ITC-Turin  fair recruitment, or labour migration course in 2022. 

Submissions open on 6 May 2021 and can be made via the online entry form . The deadline for submissions is 15 October 2021 at 23:59, Central European Time. The winners will be announced in December 2021, ahead of International Migrants Day.