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Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) aims to create a knowledge hub and network of leading organisation and innovators in the development sector across South Asia. With this in mind, DEF organises and hosts four annual awards with the overarching goal of creating a common platform for all kinds of digital interventions aimed at socio-economic development and empowerment of communities. One of these award platforms is the Social Media for Empowerment Awards (SM4E). SM4E Social Media for Empowerment (SM4E) is a platform that identifies, recognises and honours initiatives that leverage the power of social media to bring about a change. The platform synergises efforts on social media for mass-scale positive changes; recognises, honours and promotes best social media practices; organises workshops to empower communities to leverage social media for empowerment; and creates a regional network of social media experts to encourage collaboration.

SM4E is now in its 5th year, and the ongoing edition is being co-organised by Facebook India.

This year, SM4E received 180 nominations in seven categories from six South Asian countries. However, what makes this particular edition unique is that for the first time an all-women Jury assessed the nominations, following a virtual jury that filtered 85 nominations to be judged by the Jury. On April 13, 2018, a panel of 17 women-only Jury members went through a rigourous Jury process to identify the best among the best.

The Jury members were Gayatri Subramaniam (HDFC), Gayatri Mishra Oleti (L&T), Mahima Kaul (Twitter), Manju Dhasmana (Microsoft), Natasha Badhwar (Independent film-maker and columnist), Nazia Erum (Author), Nida Hasan (Change.org), Naghma Mulla (Edelgive), Namita Bhandare (journalist), Priya Ramani (columnist), Radhika Bordia (NDTV), Stephanie Joy Raison (UNICEF), Sakina Baker (Bharti Infratel), Sowmya Kidambi (Government of Telangana), Seema Chowdhry (Mint), Veena Padmanabhan (consultant) and Yasmin Kidwai (film-maker).

The winners will be announced on stage at the 5th Social Media for Empowerment Awards 2018 at The Eros Hotel, Nehru Place in New Delhi on May 25, 2018. The event will be attended by social media trailblazers, industry experts and other like-minded individuals.

Those interested in attending the event can register here.

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