Save the Children has announced the winners of its second annual Global Media Awards 2025 on World Children’s Day, celebrating outstanding journalism that highlights child rights issues and drives meaningful change for children worldwide. The awards recognize reporting that brings children’s experiences to the forefront, amplifying their voices and exposing critical challenges they face every day.
In the Written News category, Republik and WAV Recherchekollektiv won for their investigative article on Samos, Greece, which revealed catastrophic conditions for unaccompanied refugee and migrant children detained in the “Safe Area.” The reporting prompted political intervention, leading to the temporary closure and reorganisation of the facility and relocation of the children to safer environments.
The Guardian won the Broadcast category for a short film on 13-year-old Mazyouna from Gaza, who suffered severe injuries from an Israeli missile strike. The report documented her journey to the U.S. for emergency surgery while highlighting broader issues of medical access in Gaza.
BBC Radio 4 received the award for Radio/Podcast coverage for its episode “County Lines: Their World,” which investigated how criminal networks exploit vulnerable children in the UK. The podcast has reshaped professional understanding of youth exploitation, emphasizing that affected children are victims needing support rather than offenders.
AFP won in the Photography category for a series on La Guajira desert in Colombia, showing how aid cuts worsened hunger and poverty among Indigenous and migrant families. The images amplified local voices, sparked discussions on international policy, and highlighted the human cost of political decisions.
Belinda Goldsmith, Head of Save the Children’s Global Media Unit, emphasized that these award-winning stories cut through global attention, placing children’s experiences at the center and driving change. The 2025 awards attracted nearly 300 entries covering topics such as education, gender equality, child protection, and climate change, with entries evaluated on storytelling, child safeguarding, and impact on child rights.
The judging panel included internationally recognized journalists and photo editors with expertise across media, human rights, health, and development. The awards, first launched in 2024, commemorate the centennial of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and aim to recognize the power of journalism in improving children’s lives worldwide.
Save the Children, the world’s leading independent children’s organization, works globally to ensure children have access to health, education, and protection, reaching tens of millions in over 110 countries each year.
