The FotoEvidence W Award for Women Photographers

In recent years, a surge in right-wing populism has spread across the world. This political movement often advocates traditional women's roles and family structures. Many within this movement do not support women's rights or gay rights. They often oppose reproductive rights, family planning, equal pay and even women’s self expression.

The 2025 FotoEvidence W Award is calling on women photographers to respond to this global threat, with stories that will help us understand what is at stake if we do not stand for women’s rights in the face of these regressive political developments.

Please consider supporting the FotoEvidence W Award by making a contribution or sharing the campaign with friends. You will be supporting the right of women to free and open expression and the control of their own bodies and lives at a time of unprecedented threat.

FotoEvidence, a non-profit organization, relies on grants and personal donations to fulfill its mission. The FotoEvidence W Award provides photographers who identify as women with the opportunity to push the boundaries of documentary photography and share their personal story in a photo book.

The FotoEvidence W Award was established in 2019 in response to the women’s global movement for equal rights. Three books have been published under this grant: La Puente by Charlotte Schmitz, The Eyes of the Earth by Solmaz Daryani and The Stranger Whose Path Has Been Broken by Rehab Eldalil.

In the past the Award was supported by Grodzins Fund, and, on a project basis by the VII Academy, The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture and Trobades and Premis Mediterranis Albert Camus.

Solmaz Daryani holding the book The Eyes of Earth with photo editor Manoocher Deghati at the Bayeux Calvados festival.

The W Award engages the grantee, selected by an international jury, in a educational and creative process with a photo editor and book designer to realize their vision and produce a powerful book. The beautiful and important work of the W Award winners include: La Puente by German photograper Charlotte Schmitz, The Eyes of the Earth by Iranian photographer Solmaz Daryani and The Longings of the Stranger Whose Path Has Been Broken by Egyptian photographer Rehab Eldalil.

Charlotte Schmitz with editor Ilgin Deniz Akseluglu during the printing of the book La Puente.

Please join FotoEvidence in making this opportunity available another female-identifying photographer this year.

FotoEvidence Association Board of Directors: Darcy Padilla, Keyvan Ghavami, Peter Bouckaert, Bertan Selim, Aida Muluneh, Finbarr O’Reilly and David Stuart.