The challenge calls for entrants to write a 650 to 1,000 word feature on an aspect of global poverty that deserves greater media exposure.
Entries can be made until 13 June and the 16 best writers – made up of eight amateur and eight professional – will be chosen from a longlist of around 40.
The 16 finalists will travel to a developing country to research a new assignment and their work will be published in two Guardian newspaper supplements. The final two winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in November.
The competition, which is run in partnership with a group of UK-based international non-governmental organisations, is now in its fourth year.
"At a time when many media organisations have cut their international staff and offices to the bare minimum, the competition gives both new and more established journalists the opportunity to write about a topic they may never have covered before," a report on the competition by the Guardian adds.
There were more than 400 entries to the awards last year, with Reuters' correspondent Simon Akam taking away the professional prize in last year's competition.
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