Call For Entries: African Human Rights Short Story Prize

 

CALL FOR ENTRIES: AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS SHORT STORY PRIZE

African Human Rights Short Story Prize is open to new, emerging and established short story writers. The Prize is open to submissions of work written in English by writers of any nationality or descent.
 
African Human Rights Short Story Prize aims to promote and support the realization of human rights in Africa. To be duly considered, Stories must have Human Rights at heart.

The stories can explore any of the following human rights themes: Freedom of Expression, Government Violations, Police Brutality, corruption, forced Eviction, terrorism, Gender Inequality, LGBT Rights, Child Labour, Child Marriage, Domestic Violence, violence and discrimination against women; child abuse; female genital mutilation, ethnic, regional, and religious discrimination, child trafficking etc.

PRIZE(S)

·         Steve Biko Prize - $100
·         Pius Adesanmi Prize - $75
·         Binyavanga Wainaina Prize  - $50

OTHER BENEFITS 

·         Award of Certificates of Participation to all Entrants.
·         Award of Certificates of Excellence to only the shortlisted entrants.
·         Only the shortlisted Story(s) will be published in e-book format
 
SUBMISSION GUIDLEINES

·         Entries must be 1500 words minimum, 5,000 words maximum
·         Entries are welcomed from anywhere in the world, but must concern human rights concerns in Africa
·         Stories must have Human Rights at heart.
·         Only one story per entrant
·         The Story must be a new and original piece of work. The Story must not have been published in any form or awarded previously.
·         Incomplete submissions will not be considered or acknowledged.  
·         All submissions must be written by a single author. 
·         Deadline for submissions is 30th June, 2022
·         Winners will be announced on the 30th July, 2022
·         Any signs of plagiarism will disqualify the entrant.
·         IHRAF reserves the right to withdraw and reclaim the financial value of the prize if it is discovered that a writer has fabricated any information in their submission. 
·         Organizers’ decision is final

All entrants agree to offer IHRAF first world rights, with the right to publish selected work on its website, as well as in hard-copy book format
·         All entries must be submitted to: ihrafnigeria@gmail.com and also copy societyofyoungnigerianwriters@gmail.com.
·         Entries should be uploaded in a DOC format. The first page should include the Title of the story and the number of words.
·         Title of your mail should be addressed as “AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS SHORT STORY PRIZE”
Entrants are advised to send the following information alongside their entries
·         i. Name
·         ii. Age
·         iii. Gender
·         iv. Country
·         v. Address
·          vi. Phone Number
·         vii. Where you heard about the Call for entries
·         viii. Short Profile about yourself.
·         x. Name of school or university if any
·         It is your responsibility to ensure that your submission is eligible for the prize. By entering your work for the Prize you are confirming to us that the work that you are submitting is your own original work, and that you have read and agreed to the Conditions of Entry of the Prize.  
·          We will write to everyone who entered for the Prize and inform them of the outcome of their application once the judging process has concluded. 

 

African Human Rights Short Story Prize is an initiative of the International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF), USA aimed at promoting and supporting the realization of human rights in Africa.

 
For more enquiries contact: Wole Adedoyin +2348072673852 (woleadedoyin@gmail.com) 

 

IHRAF Publishes New Book, Launches Campaign Against Rape and Sexual Violence Against Women

 

IHRAF PUBLISHES NEW BOOK, LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN AGAINST RAPE AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

 

The International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF) has announced the release of a new book titled “Get Consent”, Poetry and Essays on Rape and Sexual Violence against women) edited by Uwaezuoke Angelica .C., Innocent David C and six other members of the Nigerian Society of Campus Writers.

 

 

In a statement released by the Director of IHRAF in Africa, Wole Adedoyin on Tuesday in Ilesa said the major aim of this anthology is to combat violence against women, using writing for sensitization and awareness.  Also, the anthology aimed at changing community attitudes to violence against women.

 

 

“Get Consent” anthology with the ISBN-13:979-8795194387 and ASIN:‎ B09PMBMRKP is also an experimentation challenge given to members of the Nigerian Society of Campus Writers (NSCW), one of the initiatives of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW) whose membership cuts across different Universities, Polytechnics, Monotechnics and Colleges of Education. The book is also the first publication of the Nigerian Society of Campus Writers under the leadership of Mr. Innocent David Chinaecherem, the immediate past President of the Society.

 

 
According to the Statement, Rape and sexual violence against women are currently the two major problems militating against the growth and development of youths in Nigeria. These twin vices are like epidemics gaining popularity and causing restlessness and concerns for Nigerian parents and governments, both at the local, state and federal levels. In 2015, UNICEF reported that one in four girls and one in ten boys in Nigeria had experienced sexual violence before the age of 18. According to a survey by Positive Action for Treatment Access, over 31.4 percent of girls reported that their first sexual encounters had been either rape or forced sex of some kind.

 

 

“Hopefully, with this anthology, IHRAF has made her modest input and contributed her quota in the fight against rape and sexual violence against women in Nigeria” Adedoyin said.

 

 

To buy your copy, log on to: https://www.amazon.com/Get-Consent-POETRY-VIOLENCE-AGAINST/dp/B09PMBMRKP/ref=sr_1_1?crid=HJCHA1A6O0KG&keywords=get+consent+wole+adedoyin&qid=1641905597&s=books&sprefix=get+consent+wole+ade%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C3020&sr=1-1

Meet the Winners of our African Human Rights Playwriting Prize

 

MEET THE WINNERS OF OUR AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS PLAYWRITING PRIZE

 

 

STEPHANIE MWUESE, ABUGHDYER

 

Stephanie Mwuese, ABUGHDYER is from Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State. Author of “Sons of the Earth” and “Monster in my marrows”, Stephanie is also an administrator and an aspiringe academic.

 

She holds a B.Ed English honours, M.A Intenational Relations and Strategic Studies all at the Benue State University, Makurdi and has currently rounded up studies for a masters in English Education at the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi.

 

When she is not reading or writing, Stephanie enjoys travelling. She lives in Makurdi in a house full of relatives at the moment. 

 

 

ALEXANDER NDERITU

 

Alexander Nderitu is a multi-hyphenated Kenyan writer with a strong belief in justice, equality, and racial harmony. He is currently the Deputy Secretary-General of Kenyan PEN and a Regional Editor for TheTheatreTimes.com. His poetry has appeared in the World Poetry Almanac and the World Poetry Yearbook. His debut play, Hannah and the Angel, was translated into Japanese and Arabic. His most recent work is a stage play about Prof. Wangari Maathai who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. In 2017, Business Daily newspaper named Nderitu one of Kenya’s ‘Top 40 Under 40 Men’. In 2020, he was shortlisted for the Collins Elesiro Literature Prize.

 

 

ARI-AJIA OLANREWAJU

 

Ari-Ajia Olanrewaju is a bibliophile who writes both in Yoruba Language and English Language. He writes the three genres.

 

 

VICTOR OLA-MATTHEW

 

Victor Ola-Matthew is a Nigerian storyteller. A lover of the arts, his work has appeared in Everyday Journal, A Cape-town based short story and photography magazine.

African Human Rights Playwriting Prize Winners Announced

 

AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS PLAYWRITING PRIZE WINNERS ANNOUNCED

 

The Organizers of the African Human Rights Playwriting Prize have announced the winners of the just concluded international playwriting contest aimed at elevating public consciousness and understanding of human rights values through plays in order to guarantee the safeguarding of people's rights in Africa.

 

The winners were meritoriously picked from the 9 (Nine) shortlisted entries earlier picked by Marcus Ovie Ugboduma.

 

However, the winning entries were judged by Tom Block.

 

Tom is a playwright, author of five books, and 20+ year visual artist. He has exhibited his artwork and spoken about his ideas throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Turkey, and the Middle East. Tom founded the International Human Rights Art Festival at Dixon Place (NYC) in March 2017.

 

Find below the final winners and their outstanding entries:

 

Abughdyer Mwuese Stephanie - THE PERFECT HUSBAND

Alexander Nderitu - FREEDOM CORNER 

Ari-Ajia Olanrewaju - A DOG LIFE  

Victor Ola-Matthew - GUNFIRE AT OUR MARKET  

 

The four winning plays will receive a reading as part of the IHRAF African Drama Festival. Their works will be featured in an online reading in January/February 2022. The International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF) with its international headquarters in New York will cast professional actors and a professional off-Broadway Director to read the plays. This will be held on a Saturday afternoon at 2PM NYC/8PM in Africa. Also, only the four (4) winning entries will be published. There are no monetary awards for this competition.

 

The winners are to contact the African Regional Director of IHRAF, Wole Adedoyin for further information and directive.

 

African Human Rights Playwriting Prize is an initiative of the International Human Rights Art Festival (IHRAF), USA aimed at elevating public consciousness and understanding of human rights values through plays in order to guarantee the safeguarding of people's rights in Africa.