Accra, Jan .27,GNA-The International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF), based in Washington, United States of America, is seeking nominations for its 2012 Courage in Journalism and Lifetime Achievement Awards, a release issued to Ghana News Agency announced on Friday.

Each year, the Courage in Journalism Awards honour three women journalists who have demonstrated extraordinary strength of character in pursuing their profession under difficult or dangerous circumstances, such as government oppression, threats to personal safety and other intimidating obstacles.

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a woman journalist who has a pioneering spirit and whose determination has paved the way for future generations of women in the media.

Founded in 1990, the mission of the IWMF was to strengthen the role of women in the news media worldwide with its network including women and men in the media in more than 130 countries worldwide, the release said.

The release mentioned some of the previous Courage in Journalism Award winners as Adela Navarro Bello Zeta, Mexico; Tsering Woeser, blogger and writer, Tibet; Jill Carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, United States; May Chidiac, Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, Lebanon; Anna Politkovskaya, Novaya Gazeta, Russia ; Anja Niedringhaus, Associated Press, Germany and Shahla Sherkat, Zanan, Iran.

Other previous winners of the Lifetime Achievement Award also include Kate Adie, BBC News, Untied Kingdom; Molly Ivins, syndicated columnist, United States; Barbara Walters, ABC News, United States and Magdalena Ruiz, Radio Mitre, Argentina.

It said nominations for the 2012 awards would be accepted by the IWMF until March 2, 2012, adding that candidates for the Courage in Journalism Awards could be full-time, part-time or freelance women reporters, writers, editors, photographers or producers working in any country. Digital news media candidates are accepted.

The release further explained that candidates for the Lifetime Achievement Award could be either working or retired journalists adding that all nominations must be in English, while or all nomination forms for both awards must be completed by an associate of the nominee. Self-nominations are not accepted.

For further information about the awards and on how to nominate a journalist interested persons were advised to visit the IWMF website at http://iwmf.org/honoring-courage.aspx.