The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is accepting applications for the Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2024 to honour a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and, or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, and especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger. Deadline: 15 February 2024
The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award identifies and honours those who embody Robert F. Kennedy’s belief that the power of individual and collective moral courage can overcome injustice. Over the past 40 years, the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award has recognized 59 outstanding activists and organizations from 32 countries. Honorees receive a cash prize of $30,000, but what sets this awards program apart is that they also receive ongoing support for their important work from RFK Human Rights—through campaigns and mobilization, strategic litigation, training and capacity-building, and other forms of critical support for their work and movements. For more on this and similar awards, see: https://www.trueheroesfilms.org/thedigest/awards/69FD28C0-FE07-4D28-A5E2-2C8077584068
Please note, users should only submit one entry each. If you’re interested in submitting multiple nominations for consideration, or if you’d like to submit additional information beyond what’s captured in the form below, please contact advocacy@rfkhumanrights.org. Deadline: December 15, 2023
For each region of the world (Africa; Americas; Asia-Pacific; Europe & Central Asia; and Middle East & North Africa) there will be one winner selected and Front Line Defenders will recognize all five as the 2024 Front Line Defenders Award Laureates.
The nomination process is open for anyone to submit a nomination of a human rights defender, collective, organisation or community working on any human rights issue and facing significant risk due to their work or operating in an environment that itself is characterised as insecure. The purpose of the Award is to give visibility to HRDs who are not normally acknowledged or recognised at the international level. At the same time, the Award should not bring additional risk for which the HRD is not prepared. In addition to the Award, winners will receive:
a modest financial prize;
a security grant to improve their security measures;
collaboration with Front Line Defenders for media work in recognition of the Award;
advocacy by Front Line Defenders related to the Award and the work of the winners;
an event co-organized by the HRD, local partners and Front Line Defenders to give visibility to the Award in the winners’ countries (as determined and guided by the winners);
the Global Laureates will attend a ceremony in Dublin at a date to be determined;
ongoing security consultation with Front Line Defenders
If you would like to nominate a HRD for the 2024 Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk, please follow this link to the secure online nomination form.
Nominees must be established, nongovernmental, publicly supported charitable organizations. U.S. Internal Revenue Service tax-exempt status—or the equivalent for international organizations—will determine eligibility. (International nominees will be contacted by the Foundation for appropriate documentation.)
Nominees must be legally established for at least five years in order to be considered.
Nominees must have their own audited financial statements for at least five years.
Nominees must have expenditures greater than U.S. $750,000 in their most recent audited fiscal year of operation
The nomination letter should emphasize the organization’s accomplishments rather than future goals. Both historic and recent performance should be addressed. Following are elements to consider in describing your nominee’s work:
Extraordinary contributions toward alleviating human suffering.
Significance of the issue(s) the organization is addressing.
Established record of achievement in significantly contributing to solutions.
Demonstration of a compelling programmatic approach to make a lasting impact.
Organizational capacity and administrative efficiency to address the issue(s) at hand.
Prioritization of diversity, equity and inclusion in strategies, programs and operation.
Demonstration of effective partnerships to leverage further impact.
Prioritization of evaluating programmatic approach for continual improvement.
Impact the Prize would have on the organization and the issue(s) on which the organization focuses.
The nomination process for this special year will open in the first quarter of 2024 and will remain live for two months, as done in the past.
A nomination form will be available in several languages. Any individual or organization can be nominated for the Award, keeping in mind these rules and criteria:
Candidates must be currently active in the promotion and protection of human rights (the Award does not consider defenders who are deceased);
The candidate should not employ or advocate violence;
Candidates who are no longer in need of protection (e.g., because they are now in a safe environment) will normally not be considered;
Self-nominations are not accepted.
Once the nominations have been vetted by the Foundation and considered by our Jury of ten human rights organizations, the name(s) of the Laureate(s) will be released in the second quarter of 2024.
Preparations are underway for a 30th-anniversary reunion of former winners of the Award in Geneva as well as a Ceremony, which would take place in the third quarter of 2024.
A candidate should be active in the struggle for the ideals and principles underlying the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
A candidate’s struggle for human rights should represent a non-violent perspective.
A candidate may be a person or an organization, and two or more candidates may share the prize.
Who can nominate?
Anyone with an interest in and knowledge about human rights is welcome to nominate candidates. Candidates nominated by themselves or by their staff or by honorary officers will not be taken into consideration.
Deadline for nominations: 1 February. Nominations received after 1 February will be taken into consideration for the Rafto Prize the following year.
Each year we announce the recipient of the Rafto Prize in the end of September at a press conference at the Rafto House in Bergen. The announcement is live streamed on our website and on Facebook.
For questions regarding nominations, please contact the Secretary of the Committee, Liv Unni Stuhaug, livunni.stuhaug@rafto.no
Starting in 2018, Front Line Defenders changed the format of the Award, naming 5 Regional Award Winners, with one chosen as the Global Laureate by a jury comprised of representatives of Ireland’s parliament from a number of political parties. In 2021, Front Line Defenders took the decision to name all 5 regional winners as Global Laureates, in response to the overwhelming positive response to the greater visibility and recognition of the winners of the Award.
For each region of the world (Africa; Americas; Asia-Pacific; Europe & Central Asia; and Middle East & North Africa) there will be one winner selected and Front Line Defenders will recognize all five as the 2023 Front Line Defenders Award Laureates.
The nomination process is open for anyone to submit a nomination of a human rights defender, collective, organisation or community working on any human rights issue and facing significant risk due to their work or operating in an environment that itself is characterised as insecure. The purpose of the Award is to give visibility to HRDs who are not normally acknowledged or recognised at the international level. At the same time, the Award should not bring additional risk for which the HRD is not prepared. In addition to the Award, winners will receive:
a modest financial prize;
a security grant to improve their security measures;
collaboration with Front Line Defenders for media work in recognition of the Award;
advocacy by Front Line Defenders related to the Award and the work of the winners;
an event co-organized by the HRD, local partners and Front Line Defenders to give visibility to the Award in the winners’ countries (as determined and guided by the winners);
the Global Laureates will attend a ceremony in Dublin at a date to be determined;
ongoing security consultation with Front Line Defenders
If you would like to nominate a HRD for the 2023 Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk, please follow this link to the secure online nomination form
As the person, group or organisation making the nomination, you will be consulted by Front Line Defenders to verify the information submitted and possibly for additional information. Please complete all parts of the nomination form to the best of your ability. Please submit nominations via the online form. If there are any problems using the form, or if you have any questions, please contact: award@frontlinedefenders.org
Representatives and employees of trade unions throughout the world are free to nominate candidates for next year’s Arthur Svensson international prize for trade union rights.
The nominees will be judged on to what extent the person or organization has promoted union rights and/or union organizing in the world. More on the award here –https://www.svenssonstiftelsen.com/about
The Brunet Foundation at the Public University of Navarre has published its Call for nominations for their International Jaime Brunet Prize to promote and disseminate the protection of human rights and contribute to the eradication of degrading and inhumane treatment. See also: https://www.trueheroesfilms.org/thedigest/awards/14B9DC4A-B689-D56A-2825-8E11E6374C3E.
The 2022 call is governed by the following guidelines:
The 2022 Jaime Brunet Prize is called with the aim of distinguishing: a) Work related to Human Rights. b) A career dedicated to the promotion of Human Rights.
The prize consists of a diploma, a sculpture commemorating the award and €36,000 in cash.
The prize may be awarded to the following, regardless of their status or nationality: a) Individuals. b) Work teams. c) Institutions or agencies.
Nominations can be presented by the nominees themselves or by third parties using the official form, which can be downloaded from: www.unavarra.es/conocerlauniversidad/fundacion-jaime-brunet It should be accompanied by a reasoned justification no longer than 20 pages.
If desired, this document may be submitted together with up to ten reasoned endorsements. The Board of the Brunet Foundation may present and endorse new candidates. It will also re-present the non-winning candidates from the two previous years.
Candidates can be nominated in Spanish, Basque, English and French and should be sent by email to t: fundacion.brunet@unavarra.es
The deadline for applications closes on September the 30th 2022.
Proposals will be examined by a Jury designated by the Board of the Foundation, which shall meet at the Public University of Navarre. The announcement of the winner of the 2022 Brunet Prize shall take place, as far as possible, on the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, on 10th December 2022.
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has opened their call for nominations for the 2022 Human Rights Tulip award.
The Human Rights Tulip comes with €100,000 in prize money, which the winner can use to further develop or expand the scale of their work for human rights. The nomination period will close on 2 August 2022.
The Human Rights Tulip is an award presented by the Dutch government for human rights defenders who promote and support human rights in innovative ways. Please see https://www.trueheroesfilms.org/thedigest/awards/D749DB0F-1B84-4BE1-938B-0230D4E22144 for further information on the award and its laureates. With the nomination form (available in 5 languages) you can nominate organisations and individuals who you consider worthy of this award.
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 