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‘People are still dying’: Photojournalist Eloisa Lopez documents the consequences of the Philippines’ war on drugs

Photos from this year’s Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award winner and honorees

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May 3, 2019 at 10:39 a.m. EDT

International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) announced Eloisa Lopez of the Philippines as the winner of this year’s Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award.

The award, which honors female journalists who document underreported stories in challenging or underserved areas around the world, was established in honor of Anja Niedringhaus, a German AP photojournalist who was killed in Afghanistan in 2014.

This year’s applicants, from which Lopez was selected, were the most geographically diverse since the program’s inception. Two honorable mentions were also awarded: Mary Calvert of the United States and Tasneem Alsultan of Saudi Arabia.

“Anja consistently met a high standard of both courage and technical excellence, and that pairing is evident in each of the portfolios from Eloisa, Mary and Tasneem. We look forward to seeing what’s to come from these women in their bright futures,” said IWMF executive director Elisa Lees Muñoz.

Based in Manila, Lopez’s work focuses on human rights, women and religion.

After receiving the award, Lopez said from Manila, “Coverage on the drug war is subsiding but people are still dying; it’s becoming normal. Elevating the voices of those left behind is critical now more than ever.”

Andrea Bruce captures the aftermath of war in her photos

Selected works from Eloisa Lopez:

Selected works from Tasneem Alsultan: