26/05/2025
What does it mean to write about human rights from the coasts, cities, and islands of the Indian Ocean? That's the question at the heart of the Portside Review Human Rights Essay Prize, now in its second year.
The prize recognises bold, original writing that engages deeply with human rights issues across the region. It offers AUD $10,000 to the winner, $5,000 for second place, and publication for 10 shortlisted essays in a special edition of Portside Review, a digital literary journal dedicated to voices from the Indian Ocean and beyond.
Last year, Singaporean writer and activist Kirsten Han won the inaugural prize for her powerful essay exploring the human rights implications of Singapore's punitive drug policies. This year, she returns as one of three judges, alongside literary educator and social justice advocate John Ryan, and Ethiopian poet and human rights scholar Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes.
Together, they'll be reading essays that explore justice, freedom, memory, power, and how human rights take shape in different communities around the world.
Submissions are open until 6 June 2025. If you know a writer engaging with these questions, encourage them to apply.
Learn more and submit here: link.centreforstories.com/e69192
