The winning images in the 2026 World Press Photo Contest reflect a year dominated by conflict, migration and climate upheaval — but they also capture moments of hope and resilience.
The contest’s photo of the year, Separated by ICE, was taken by Carol Guzy for the Miami Herald and shows the anguish of a family being separated in a New York court. NPR highlighted that image as emblematic of the year’s pain.
At the other end of the spectrum are images of quiet joy and accomplishment, such as Ihsaan Haffejee’s photo of young dancers from the Joburg Ballet School backstage at the Soweto Theatre before their year‑end performance in Soweto, South Africa (Dec. 7, 2025). Haffejee notes the image is especially resonant because ballet was once largely inaccessible to nonwhite South Africans under apartheid; the school now offers subsidized training to children from historically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Selected regional winners detailed below focus on places across the Global South.
West, Central and South Asia — Stories
“I’m Afraid” by Elise Blanchard (Time) documents the consequences of U.S. aid cuts in Afghanistan’s remote Daikundi province. The funding shortfall led to the suspension or closure of over 400 health facilities nationwide, leaving many pregnant women to give birth at home in a country with one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates. Blanchard’s image shows Fatemah, who had given birth at home the day before; at 24 she had already delivered three times and lost an infant when unable to reach a clinic. Blanchard describes being pained by the women’s grief and struck by their strength.
West, Central and South Asia — Stories
“A Syrian City Rebuilds, Still Divided” by Nicole Tung (The New York Times) captures a shepherd herding sheep along the Euphrates in Deir al‑Zour, Syria (Aug. 21, 2025). The river marks a division between forces loyal to the Syrian government and those supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Tung recalls taking the peaceful shot and then hearing a loud explosion: local residents scavenging a dump were injured by an unexploded bomb, a reminder that the war’s consequences endure even as rebuilding proceeds.
South America — Stories
“Name the Absence” by Ferley A. Ospina examines Colombia’s high rate of single‑mother households through intimate photographs of his extended family in Norte de Santander. One image shows Valeria, 5, playing behind a curtain at her aunt’s house (Sept. 10, 2025). Ospina, whose father was murdered in 1999, frames the work as an exploration of the “weight of absence” experienced by children who grow up without fathers.
South America — Single Image
“Territory of Hope” by Priscila Ribeiro portrays Sandra Mara Siqueira with her grandchildren in the Parque dos Lagos occupation in Colombo, Paraná, Brazil (Nov. 15, 2025). The settlement, home to about 200 families, lacks official access to water, sewage and electricity. Ribeiro, who lives near the community, says the photograph reveals the interplay of vulnerability and strength in intimate family moments amid the national housing shortage.
Africa — Single Image
“When Giants Fall” by Halden Krog documents a cull of elephants at Sango Wildlife Conservancy in Zimbabwe (Oct. 23, 2025). The government authorized culling amid human‑wildlife conflict and drought‑driven movements of elephants toward populated areas; wildlife groups dispute overpopulation claims and condemn the trauma inflicted on social groups of elephants. Krog, who has covered elephants for years, says no one involved in the cull was happy and that men wept after shootings.
Africa — Stories
“Farīsāt: Gunpowder’s Daughters” by Chantal Pinzi (Panos Pictures) looks at women entering the Moroccan equestrian tradition of Tbourida. At Sidi Rahal (Aug. 6, 2025), Ghita Jhiate — long forbidden by her father to ride — manages an agitated stallion after a fall and continues to ride bareback among all‑male troupes. Pinzi calls the moment iconic: a young woman completely in control.
Gaza
“Aid Emergency in Gaza” by Saber Nuraldin (EPA Images) shows Palestinians climbing onto an aid truck entering the Gaza Strip via the Zikim crossing (July 27, 2025). Taken amid an Israeli blockade that caused severe shortages, the image documents the desperation and deadly chaos at aid points. Nuraldin, born in Gaza and documenting life there since 1997, said it was one of the hardest moments he’d witnessed; some people returned with food, others empty‑handed, and some did not return at all.
Philippines / Climate
“Wedding in the Flood” by Aaron Favila (Associated Press) captures newlyweds Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar sharing a kiss as their guests cheer in high waters after Typhoon Wipha flooded Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan (July 22, 2025). The couple had been together for ten years and chose to proceed despite the flooding, a scene that underscores love and resilience amid climate‑exacerbated disasters.
Long‑term Project — West, Central and South Asia
“Hijacked Education” by Diego Ibarra Sánchez explores how conflict and extremism deny children access to schooling. Sourced from years of work across multiple countries, a noted image from Pakistan shows female students in a school attacked by the Taliban — part of a broader, long‑term project on learning under threat.
The winners collectively document suffering and endurance: images of separation, hunger and displacement sit alongside photos of persistence, cultural reclamation and family life. The contest highlights the dual role of photojournalism in witnessing hardship and affirming human resilience.
Kamala Thiagarajan is a freelance journalist based in Madurai, Southern India, who reports on global health, science and development.