MARTIN ENNALS AWARD : '' COURAGE PRECIS HONOURS''

 

Campaigners from Kashmir, Chad and Venezuela on Thursday won the Martin Ennals Award. One of the world's most prestigious human rights prizes, with the jury hailing their '' courage ''.

The winners are Khurram Parvez, a prominent rights activist in IIOJK ; Delphine Djiraibe, one of Chad's first women lawyers ; and Feliciano Reyna, a rights activist and advocate for access to health for marginalized LGBTQ people in Venezuela.

''The common denominator between the 2023 Laureates ......... is their courage, passion and determination to bring the voice of the voiceless to the international arena, despite the ongoing, sometimes life threatening, challenges they endure,'' prize jury chairman Hans Thoolen said in a statement.

''We are particularly proud to honour these three exceptional laureates who have each dedicated over 30 years of their lives to building movements which brought about justice for victims or delivered medicines to the marginalized,'' he said.

''They have made human rights real for thousands of people in their communities''.

The award ceremony will take place in Geneva on February 16, the organisers said. 

The laureats will each receive 20,000 to 10,000 Swiss Francs [$32,000 - $33,000]. The award is managed by Geneva-based Martin Ennals Foundation. 

The prize honours individuals and organizations that have shown exceptional commitment to defending and promoting human rights, despite the risks involved.

It raises their profiles and gathers international support for their work.

The annual Martin Ennals Award, named after the first secretary general of Amnesty International, was first given in 1994. [AFP]