I seem to have a running theme across my blog posts at the moment. I went to see the World Press Photo at Royal Festival Hall last week. This year's exhibition showcases work from photographers of 23 nationalities, selected from over 108,000 entries. The winning photographs encompass the horrors of war, contemporary issues, people in the news, sport, the arts and the natural world, providing an overview of our world. It wasn't the shots that grabbed my attention sadly, but the background information behind the World Press Photo of the Year by South African photographer Jodi Bieber. 

(Image Credit: World Press Photo of the Year 2010, Jodi Bieber, South Africa, Institute for Artist Management/Goodman Gallery for Time magazine)

Jodi Bieber, a South African photographer for Time magazine, won with this picture of Bibi Aisha, an 18-year-old woman from Oruzgan province in Afghanistan. Aisha's story began when she fled back to her family after complaining of violent treatment from her husband. The Taliban arrived one night demanding that she face justice and Aisha's brother-in-law held her down while her husband sliced off her ears and then cut off her nose. Aisha was abandoned, but later rescued by aid workers and the US military. After time in a women's refuge in Kabul, she was taken to the US, where she now lives. Jury chair David Burnett said about the photo: 'This could become one of those pictures – and we have maybe just 10 in our lifetime – where if somebody says "you know, that picture of a girl" you know exactly which one they're talking about'.

From having grown up in Oman, I have a little firsthand experience of restrictions that are still imposed on women today. My parents decided to move back to the UK so that my sister and I could spend our teenage years with fewer restrictions on how we expressed ourselves and what we experienced. I cannot even begin to comprehend being hunted down like an animal and mutilated for running away from an abusive husband. To start with, my idea of a husband is someone whom you are supposed to be able to turn to for love and support. Secondly, my disbelief that the Taliban "demand that she face justice" when she was mistreated. Thirdly, having her brother-in-law hold her down while her husband sliced off her features, one by one.

I want to try and do all I can to help others in achieving what I take for granted on a day to day basis: a life of freedom, peace and security. Having exhibitions such as this is essential in exposing violations against human rights across the world, and a step in the right direction to prevention. If you were unable to get to the Royal Festival Hall then check out the works here on the Guardian website.

Championing rights

As the World Press Photo exhibition demonstrates, images can be powerful in expressing news events and telling stories. It can be easy to forget that freedom of the press is a right that is not always upheld in some places. Asilia has been collaborating with The Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI) for a couple of years now, to help them in their work to defend the rights of journalists and media outlets around the world. We designed their identity and a range of collateral including cards that we had so much fun with. We also designed and developed the MLDI's website as well as an Ushahidi site mapping journalists in crisis, around the world. We hope to continue to support the work of the MLDI long into the future.