The Luis Valtuena International Humanitarian Photography Award, created by Doctors of the World (DOW), is a tribute to four humanitarian workers who were murdered in the field: Flors Sirera, Luis Valtuena and Manuel Madrazo in Rwanda and Mercedes Navarro in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Every year since 1998, this Award invites amateur and professional photographers around the world to capture humanitarian work that they have witnessed first-hand during the previous 12 months.  Images may capture the consequence of war, desolation and poverty or alternatively, depict the essence of humanitarian actions. It is open to adult photographers of any nationality, both amateur and professional.

The award bears the name of Luis Valtuena, a professional photographer. Luis Valtuena was born in Madrid in 1966. He worked with El Mundo Magazine and then went onto manage the Antena 3 Photographic Depatment. He started working with DOW as a logistician as part of a team that went to Lebanon in 1996. A year later he lost his life in Rwanda.

View some of the stunning photographs from the 15th Luis Valtuena International Humanitarian Photography Award 2011 competition below.