Mariam Ouédraogo, an exceptional journalist from Burkina Faso, embodies a deep commitment to social and human causes through her work as an investigative journalist. She was recently honoured in Washington with the prestigious 32nd Mohamed Maïga African Investigative Journalism Award for her tireless work on crucial issues such as human rights, the environment and access to information.
The prize, named after the late Malian journalist Mohamed Maïga, highlights African journalists who, like him, devote their pens to defending the most disadvantaged and fundamental rights.
A reporter for the Burkinabe daily Sidwaya, Mariam Ouédraogo has established herself as a leading figure in investigative journalism in Africa. Her work is distinguished by her determination to give a voice to the forgotten members of society: women, children and marginalised communities, particularly those affected by the security crisis in Burkina Faso.
Through her investigations, she reveals realities that are often ignored, plunging into the heart of human suffering and the injustices that go with it.
Her career has been marked by national and international distinctions, testifying to the impact of her commitment. In 2023, she became one of the few African journalists to receive the Knight International Journalism Award in the United States, a prestigious prize for outstanding journalism with a far-reaching impact. The previous year, she had already made history by becoming the first African woman to win the Bayeux Calvados-Normandie Prize for war correspondents, a distinction that reinforced her reputation as a courageous and determined journalist.
In 2019, Mariam Ouédraogo was also hailed for her work in the fight against corruption, winning the Anti-Corruption Prize of the Réseau national de lutte anti-corruption (REN-LAC). In 2020, she was awarded the Prix Galian for best investigation, a further testament to her professionalism and rigour.
And in 2023, for the third year running, she was awarded the Prix Marie-Soleil-Frère for the best Burkinabe journalist, in recognition of her growing influence in the Burkinabe media landscape.
With a total of 21 awards to her name, Mariam Ouédraogo has become a leading figure in African journalism.
