Walter Astrada was born in 1974 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1996 he started his career as staff photographer in La Nacion newspaper. In 1999 he traveled around Brazil, Chile, Bolivia and Peru developing a personal project on "Faith".
In September 1999 he joined Associated Press in Bolivia and later in Argentina. From 2000 to 2002 he worked for the Associated Press based in Paraguay, from where he covered events in Latin America and World Cup Korea-Japan 2002. In 2003 he worked as a freelancer in Buenos Aires and Madrid.
At the end of 2003 he rejoined the Associated Press based in the Dominican Republic, covering events in the Caribbean countries. From March 2005 until March 2006 he worked as a freelancer for Agence France Presse in the Dominican Republic and was represented and distributed by World Picture News.
In March 2006 he moved to Spain from where he is working as a freelancer. In 2008 and 2009 he covered Eastern Africa as a freelancer and stringer for AFP out of Uganda.
Currently he is working on a long-term project about violence against women. Also he teaches on photographic workshops and realizes tutorials.
Since February 2010 he is represented exclusively by Reportage by Getty Images.
Astrada won three World Press Photo awards in 2007, 2009, and 2010, the Bayeux-Calvados award for War Correspondents in 2009, the NPPA-BOP, ‘Photojournalist of the Year’ and ‘Best of Show,’ in 2009, the PGB ‘Photographer of the Year’ and ‘Pictures of the Year,’ in 2009, Days Japan in 2008, 2009, 2010, Sony World photography Awards in 2010, and the Marty Forscher Fellowship Fund in 2010.
In India, women must confront the cultural pressure to bear a son. The consequences of this preference is a disregard for the lives of women and girls. From birth until death they face a constant threat of violence.