PHOTOGRAPHY 4 HUMANITY
2019 Photography 4 Humanity Finalist
Photographer: K M Asad – Bangladesh
2019 Photography 4 Humanity Finalist
Photographer: K M Asad – Bangladesh
2019 Photography 4 Humanity Finalist
Photographer: K M Asad – Bangladesh
ABOUT

Photography 4 Humanity stands as a global call to amateaur and professional photographers alike, inviting them to harness the evocative power of imagery to illuminate the essence of human rights. With a lens trained on the profound spectrum of the human experience - from resilience and courage to despair and hope, from glaring injustices to quiet triumphs - this initiative elevates compelling visuals that capture both the fragility and strength of the human spirit. Selected images will transcend borders and narratives, inspiring all who view them to take a stand in the universal pursuit of dignity and justice.
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ABOUT

Photography 4 Humanity is an international initiative that calls on photographers around the world to help bring to life the power of human rights through their images. Highlighting the most compelling imagery – illustrating courage, despair, hope, injustice, compassion, human rights failures or victories in ways small and large – select images will serve to inspire people to take a stand for human rights.
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2025

Photography 4 Humanity

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2024

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2023

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2022

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2021

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2020

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2019

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GLOBAL PRIZE

At the heart of this initiative is an inspiring global call to action, inviting both amateur and professional photographers to submit their most evocative images in an annual competition. The winning photographer is awarded the prestigious Photography 4 Humanity Global Prize, and their image - along with the work of the Top 10 Finalists—is displayed at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, where it stands as a vivid testament to human rights.

In a remarkable extension, the works of the Global Prize Recipient, the Top 10 Finalists, and the Top 20 Honorable Mentions are also  showcased worldwide through the United Nations' digital platform, UN.org, amplifying these powerful images to a global audience.
GLOBAL PRIZE

At the core of the initiative is a global call to action for amateur and professional photographers alike to submit images for an annual competition where the winning entry will receive the Photography 4 Humanity Global Prize and have their image, along with the work of the Top 10 Finalists each year, exhibited at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

In addition, as part of an exciting new partnership announced in 2020, the Photography 4 Humanity Global Prize Recipient and Top 10 Finalists will also have their work exhibited at Fotografiska New York in recognition of Human Rights Day – December 10th.
INTERNATIONAL PRESTIGE

Lending extraordinary weight to the Photography 4 Humanity Global Initiative and its distinctive international photography competition are its esteemed partners: United Nations Human Rights and Fotografiska. UN Human Rights, the authoritative body safeguarding human rights across all 193 United Nations Member States, and Fotografiska, the world’s largest and most distinguished photography museum, stand together in elevating this initiative to global prominence. 

Underscoring the initiative's prestige is an exceptional jury, comprised of celebrated photographers, distinguished human rights advocates, veteran journalists, and seasoned photo editors, who bring unparalleled expertise in selecting the Global Prize Recipient and Top 10 Finalists.
INTERNATIONAL PRESTIGE

Bringing extra gravitas to the Photography 4 Humanity Global Initiative and unique international photography competition, is its partners United Nations Human Rights and Fotografiska. UN Human Rights safeguards human rights for all 193 Member States of the United Nations, and Fotografiska is the largest and most prestigious photography museum in the world. The Photography 4 Humanity Global Prize Recipient and Top 10 Finalists each year, will have their work exhibited at the United Nations Headquarters in New York and Fotografiska New York.

Adding to the prestige of the initiative, is the eminent jury that selects the Photography 4 Humanity Global Prize Recipient and the Top 10 Finalists which consists of world-renowned photographers, human rights experts, journalists and photo editors.
EXHIBITS

The Photography 4 Humanity Global Prize garners international attention each year on UN Human Rights Day, a solemn observance championed by all 193 United Nations member states. In 2025, a compelling “best of” Photography 4 Humanity exhibit, spotlighting powerful images of individuals impacted by climate change will inaugurate the 2025 Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit, co-hosted by UN Human Rights and the University of Oxford. Poised to be the largest climate justice gathering in the world, this summit will underscore the human face of the climate crisis, inspiring urgent action on behalf of vulnerable communities worldwide.
GLOBAL PARTNER
UN HUMAN RIGHTS

UN Human Rights represents the world's commitment to universal ideals of human dignity. They represent human rights issues for the 193 Member States of the United Nations, and thus have a unique mandate from the international community to promote and protect human rights for all, everywhere.
“We are proud to support Photography 4 Humanity, as art has the ability to transcend borders and speak truth to power. It also has the power to galvanize global mobilization for human rights, and at the same time honor artists who passionately use their work to promote and protect the rights of others.” 
- Laurent Sauveur
  Chief of External Outreach, UN Human Rights
GLOBAL PARTNER
UN HUMAN RIGHTS

UN Human Rights represents the world's commitment to universal ideals of human dignity. They represent human rights issues for the 193 Member States of the United Nations, and thus have a unique mandate from the international community to promote and protect human rights for all, everywhere.
“We are proud to support Photography 4 Humanity, as art has the ability to transcend borders and speak truth to power. It also has the power to galvanize global mobilization for human rights, and at the same time honor artists who passionately use their work to promote and protect the rights of others.” 
- Laurent Sauveur
  Chief of External Outreach, UN Human Rights
GLOBAL PARTNER
UN HUMAN RIGHTS

UN Human Rights represents the world's commitment to universal ideals of human dignity. They represent human rights issues for the 193 Member States of the United Nations, and thus have a unique mandate from the international community to promote and protect human rights for all, everywhere.
“We are proud to support Photography 4 Humanity, as art has the ability to transcend borders and speak truth to power. It also has the power to galvanize global mobilization for human rights, and at the same time honor artists who passionately use their work to promote and protect the rights of others.” 
- Laurent Sauveur
  Chief of External Outreach, UN Human Rights
PRESENTING PARTNER
FOTOGRAFISKA

Fotografiska is the largest photography museum in the world that showcases the greatest photographers, whether they’re emerging artists or already established internationally. They celebrate photography, but beyond being a museum, Fotografiska offers inclusive spaces for conversation and community. Fotografiska’s mission is to inspire a more conscious world through the art of photography and has museums in New York, Stockholm and Tallinn, Estonia.
“We are honored to have been selected as the Global Presenter of Photography 4 Humanity in support of UN Human Rights, as our founding principle is to inspire a more conscious world through the art of photography. By helping to provide a platform to share these human rights images with the world, we hope to give voice to those who have none.”
- Amanda Hajjar
   Director of Exhibitions, Fotografiska
PRESENTING PARTNER
FOTOGRAFISKA

Fotografiska is the largest photography museum in the world that showcases the greatest photographers, whether they’re emerging artists or already established internationally. They celebrate photography, but beyond being a museum, Fotografiska offers inclusive spaces for conversation and community. Fotografiska’s mission is to inspire a more conscious world through the art of photography and has museums in New York, Stockholm and Tallinn, Estonia.
“We are honored to have been selected as the Global Presenter of Photography 4 Humanity in support of UN Human Rights, as our founding principle is to inspire a more conscious world through the art of photography. By helping to provide a platform to share these human rights images with the world, we hope to give voice to those who have none.”
- Amanda Hajjar
   Director of Exhibitions, Fotografiska
THE INSPIRATION

In 2016, a haunting image of five-year-old Omran Daqnees, bloodied and dazed in the back of an ambulance after an airstrike devastated his Syrian home and took his brother’s life, stirred the world’s collective conscience. David Clark, deeply moved by this image and other viral depictions of human rights crises, recognized the profound power that amateur and professional photographers wield in capturing the stark realities of human rights abuses and triumphs. Through their lenses, these photographers bring awareness to untold stories, inspiring action in defense of human dignity.

In 2019, David Clark Cause, in partnership with United Nations Human Rights, launched The Photography 4 Humanity Global Initiative to underscore the transformative power of imagery to inform, educate, and inspire global action. Following a remarkable inaugural year, Fotografiska NY joined as a global partner, propelling the initiative's reach within both the photographic and human rights spheres. As this powerful movement in human rights photography gained international prominence, the United Nations Headquarters in New York recognized its impact, inviting Photography 4 Humanity to showcase its annual exhibition on UN.org, the official UN platform. This digital extension now allows audiences worldwide to witness these compelling images, each one a call to awareness and action.
THE INSPIRATION

In 2016, a bloody image of five-year-old Omran Daqnees, sitting in an ambulance after an airstrike destroyed his home and killed his brother in Syria, shocked the conscience of the world. Struck by that image and other human rights imagery that went viral at the time, David Clark realized that amateur and professional photographers around the world who document human rights abuses and triumphs possess a tremendous power to raise awareness and inspire people to stand up for human rights.  

In 2019, alongside Global Partner United Nations Human Rights, David Clark Cause officially launched The Photography 4 Humanity Global Initiative with the goal of highlighting the power imagery holds to inform, educate and inspire people to action. After the success of the inaugural year, Fotografiska NY joined UN Human Rights as a global partner of Photography 4 Humanity so the initiative could grow within the photographic, as well as the human rights community. As the Presenting Partner, Fotografiska NY will encourage photographers around the word to participate, and will annually curate the Photography 4 Humanity exhibit at the Fotografiska Museum in New York City on UN Human Rights Day.

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Copyright / David Clark Cause, Inc.

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