United Nations Radio

For its work in significantly alleviating human suffering, BRAC, the largest non-profit organization in the developing world, has been awarded the largest humanitarian prize. The 1.5 million dollar Conrad Hilton prize was presented to BRAC's founder in Geneva this week.

People in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (the DPRK) are suffering from a combination of food shortages and a clamp down on political rights and freedom of speech. This is the view of the UN's independent human rights expert on the situation in the DPRK, Vitit Muntarbhorn, who reported this week to the UN General Assembly's committee dealing with social, humanitarian and cultural issues.

The International Women's Media Foundation this week recognized 4 women with their annual Courage in Journalism Awards. One of them is Farida Nekzad, the managing editor and deputy director of Pajhwok Afghan News, Afghanistan's leading independent news agency. Educated in exile in Pakistan and India, Farida Nekzal returned to Afghanistan in 2001, where she has worked ever since, promoting press freedom and women's rights.

Producer: Bissera Kostova

Duration: 15'57"