On November 21, the Axel Springer Award for Change ceremony honoured outstanding initiatives within the fields of diversity, inclusion, and climate action. Among the winners was Ida Reihani, Associate for Communications at the Centre for Fundamental Rights, who received along with Joshua Nelken-Zitser, a senior reporter at the Business Insider, the award in the Journalistic Piece category.
Ida and Joschua were recognized for their reporting for, "Iran will pay for gender-transition surgery, but it comes at a cost — your dignity," which sheds light on critical issue of transgender rights in Iran. This in-depth piece, included interviews with Iranian transgenders whose experiences reflect the complex and heartbreaking plight of the LGBTQ2+ community in Iran.
“This powerful story would not have been possible without our brave sources in Iran who despite the regime’s pressure chose to share their important stories with us,” Ida said after her win.
Taking place at Axel Springer headquarters in Berlin, the award ceremony had brought together professionals and changemakers from across the Group to celebrate achievements that drive impactful change both within the organisation and globally.
You can read the full award winning article here.