OSF’s Documentary Photography Project recently announced the winners of the 2012 Production Grant for photographers from Central Asia, the South Caucasus, Afghanistan, Mongolia, and Pakistan.
Inna Mkhitaryan’s project looks at the underlying economic, social, and psychological factors that give rise to human trafficking in Armenia and seeks to challenge the stigma against trafficking victims who are often blamed for their own plight.
Arthur Lumen Gevorgyan’s project on the human costs of landslides in Armenia addresses government negligence toward people who live in landslide zones. To help policy makers plan for and prevent disasters in the future, Gevorgyan will provide visual documentation detailing how people who live in landslide zones are affected.
Sitara Ibrahimova’s project will call attention to the practice of selective abortions of girl fetuses in Azerbaijan, which reflects a prevalence of gender inequality and discrimination against girls and women that persists in much of the region.
Elyor Nematov’s project focuses on the severe living and working conditions that migrant laborers from Kyrgyzstan face when they seek better economic opportunities in Russia.
Dina Oganova’s project on Roma communities in Georgia will portray the everyday life of Roma women with the goal of dispelling stereotypes about, and intolerance for, the Roma community.
Daro Sulakauri’s study of the Samtske-Javakheti region of Georgia will look at both the ethnic Armenian and Georgian communities of this historically isolated, tense area.
Darya Komleva’s project seeks to challenge stereotypes of people with disabilities in Kazakhstan by profiling the daily lives of children with disabilities and their families, as well as their experiences with alternative education programs.
- visually document issues of importance in the region; and
- provide training and support to photographers from the region.
Approximately 10 cash stipends in the amount of $3,500 each will be awarded to photographers to produce a photo essay on a current human rights or social issue in the region. Grantees will participate in two master-level workshops on visual storytelling through photography and multimedia. These workshops are led by internationally-recognized photographers and industry professionals who will then provide ongoing mentorship and support throughout the six-month grant term.
The Open Society Foundations will pay travel and hotel expenses and provide a per diem to cover meals and incidentals for the workshops.
Deadline
The deadline for applications is December 3, 2010, 6pm EST.
Additional Information
For more information on the grant, please review the grant guidelines.
