Afghan journalist Salma Niazi has been named one of the winners of the One Young World Journalist of the Year 2025 award, in recognition of her fearless reporting and dedication to amplifying the voices of Afghan women under challenging conditions.
In addition, she has been named the winner of Lyra McKee Award for Bravery, honouring journalists who demonstrate extraordinary courage in pursuit of truth. The award commemorates Lyra McKee, the young journalist from Belfast who was tragically killed in 2019 while reporting.
Salma, founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Afghan Times, continues her work in exile from Dublin after being forced to flee Afghanistan in February 2022 following the Taliban’s return to power. Despite years in hiding in Pakistan, she has sustained her independent media outlet with a courageous team of journalists and photographers operating secretly inside Afghanistan.
Her initiatives include the Open Mic Podcast, launched in April 2024, where over 50 young Afghan women have shared personal stories of resilience. She also spearheaded three influential magazine editions: “Women and Food Insecurity in Afghanistan” (October 2024) and “Locked Room: Afghan Women’s Voices” (March 2025) and “Child Labour In Taliban’s Afghanistan” (June 2025). Salma has trained a network of eight youth reporters and photographers and continues to collaborate with over 100 young women contributors across the country.
Salma said of the recognition: “I am deeply honoured to receive this award. Journalism in Afghanistan is not an easy path, but it is a responsibility I carry with pride. I hope this recognition encourages more young journalists to pursue truth fearlessly.”
Reflecting on the Lyra McKee Award, she added: “Lyra McKee’s courage inspires me and countless journalists around the world. To be associated with her legacy is humbling, and it strengthens my resolve to keep telling stories that matter, even in the face of danger.”
The other two winners of the Journalist of the Year award are Nilesh Christopher from India, recognized for his investigative reporting on the societal impacts of AI and technology, and Leandro Amaya Camacho from Peru, known for his reporting on Indigenous rights, environmental issues, and illegal economies in the Amazon.
All three recipients will formally receive their awards at the One Young World Summit 2025, which will take place in Munich, Germany, from 3–6 November 2025.
The One Young World organization praised Salma’s work, highlighting her dedication to reporting truthfully despite significant personal risk, and her role in inspiring a new generation of Afghan journalists.
Salma’s recognition underscores the vital role of Afghan journalists in maintaining freedom of speech and human rights under repression, and her bravery serves as an example to media professionals around the globe.
