Marites Vitug, Philippines

Vitug told the IWMF recently, "The Courage Award gave me a mantle of protection. It was a big, joyful boost! Sometimes, we need moments like this, to reassure us that we're doing good work. I felt safe because of the international attention it gave me. I knew that people would think twice before doing me harm."

Since receiving her award, Vitug has written two books and received a grant from the MacArthur Foundation to write a third on the Muslim rebellion in the Philippines. She founded and now sits on the board of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, is the Philippine correspondent for Newsweek magazine and the Southeast Asia editor of the World Paper. Vitug tells the IWMF that the Filipino press is "starting to feel the heat" again - this time from the current president, Joseph Estrada.