THE CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR 2023 IS NOW CLOSED.
Selection Criteria:
- the nature of human rights defender's work
- the impact of human rights defender's work in advancing the rights of others
- the level of risk or negative consequences associated with human rights defender's work
- the continued commitment to advancing human rights, despite high level risks
- the potential impact of receiving the Award on the human rights defender and their work
Nomination Guidelines:
- Incomplete nominations will not be considered.
- Nominations can be submitted by organisations or individuals.
- Individual nominees may not play a prominent role in a political party.
- Individual nominees must be currently active in human rights work (the Front Line Defenders Award is not intended to recognise a historical or posthumous contribution).
- Individual nominees should not have previously been the recipient of high-profile international recognition.
- Nominees should be active human rights defenders and if in exile, only nominations of HRDs still at risk will be eligible.
- Self-nomination is not permitted.
- The number of nominations a HRD or organisation receives is not considered when evaluating the nominees.
"We live in dark times. It seems we are assailed daily with fresh atrocities. Welcome to a celebration of the courage of those who bring light and love to our world."
Andrew Anderson, Executive Director
The annual Front Line Defenders Award was established in 2005 to honour the work of HRDs who are courageously making outstanding contributions to the promotion and protection of the human rights of others, often at great personal risk to themselves. The Award focuses international attention on the work and struggles of HRDs, providing a greater national and international platform to speak about and advocate for the human rights issues they are defending.
2022 Front Line Defenders Award
Badr Baabou speaking at the 2019 Front Line Defenders Award Ceremony in Dublin.
About the Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk
The annual Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk was established in 2005 to honour the work of a human rights defender who, through non-violent work, is courageously making an outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of the human rights of others, often at great personal risk to themselves.
In 2014 the Al-Jazeera Media Network became the global media partner for the Front Line Defenders Award, giving much wider coverage of the ceremony and of the defender's work to a global audience.
Starting in 2018, Front Line Defenders changed the format of the Award, naming 5 Regional Award Winners, with the Irish jury selecting one among them as the Global Laureate.
In 2021, Front Line Defenders recognized all regional winners as Laureates of the Front Line Defenders Award.
The Award focuses international attention on the human rights defender's work, thus contributing to the recipient’s personal security.
Previous Winners of the Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk
2022
Africa: Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), Zimbabwe
Americas: Javier del Tránsito and María del Tránsito Salvatierra, Mexico
Asia: Liah Ghazanfar Jawad, Afghanistan
Europe & Central Asia: Volha Harbunova, Belarus
Middle East & North Africa: Ameira Osman Hamid, Sudan
2021
Africa: Aminata Fabba, Sierra Leone
Americas: Camila Moradia, Brazil
Asia: Mother Nature Cambodia, Cambodia
Europe & Central Asia 1: Siarhei Drazdouski & Aleh Hrableuski, Belarus
Europe & Central Asia 2: Mamadou Ba, Portugal
Middle East & North Africa: Sami & Sameeha Huraini, Palestine
2020
Africa: Mekfoula Mint Brahim, Mauritania
Americas: Guardia Indígena del Cauca, Colombia
Asia: Juwairiya Mohideen, Sri Lanka
Europe & Central Asia: Lara Aharonian, Armenia
Middle East & North Africa: Fatima Al-Bahadly, Iraq
2019 Award Winners; Global Laureate: Badr Baabou, Tunisia
2018 Award Winners; Global Laureate: Nurcan Baysal, Turkey
2017 Emil Kurbedinov, Ukraine
2016 Ana Mirian Romero, Honduras
2015 Guo Feixiong, China
2014 SAWERA, Pakistan
2013 Biram Dah Abeid, Mauritania
2012 Razan Ghazzawi, Syria
2011 Joint Mobile Group, Russian Federation
2010 Soraya Rahim Sobhrang, Afghanistan
2009 Yuri Melini, Guatemala
2008 Anwar Al-Bunni, Syria
2007 Gégé Katana, Democratic Republic of Congo
2006 Ahmadjan Madmarov, Uzbekistan
2005 Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, Sudan
