The Front Line Defenders Award is intended for HRDs for whom visibility can contribute to their security and who have not already had a lot of international recognition for their human rights work.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS: 23rd January 2026
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
Laureates from each of the major global regions (or their representatives) traveled to Ireland to accept the Award, including:
Africa: Luc Agblakou of Hirondelle Club International (Benin)
Americas: The Movement for Human Rights, Peace and Global Justice (MONDHA) (Dominican Republic / Haiti)
Asia and the Pacific: Arnon Nampa of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (Thailand)
Europe and Central Asia: Sharifa Madrakhimova (Uzbekistan)
Middle East and North Africa: Mhamed Hali (Western Sahara)
“In a world that has become harsher for human rights defenders, these five courageous individuals and organisations face tremendous risks while carrying out their peaceful work to uphold the rights of their communities,” said Alan Glasgow, Executive Director of Front Line Defenders.
“These laureates are rays of light in some very dark situations of repression, discrimination and detention. Their steadfast commitment to human rights provides the solutions we need to brink humanity back from the brink, and to create a better, more just world. Governments must begin to see human rights defenders, not as a threat to their grasp on power, but as positive changemakers who can improve societies and defend the human rights of their citizens.”
This year’s laureates were selected from among hundreds of candidates put forward in a secure, public nomination process carried out between November 2024 and January 2025. In addition to a cash prize aimed at bolstering their protection, the winners receive support from Front Line Defenders on digital and physical security, advocacy, visibility, wellbeing and more.
The 2025 Front Line Defenders Award winners are:
Africa
Luc Agblakou is a human rights educator and defender for LGBTIQ+ rights in Benin. He is the Founding President of Hirondelle Club International, the first LGBTIQ+ organisation promoting integration in the country. His work has led to the inclusion of LGBTIQ+ people in the strategic plan to combat HIV/AIDS in Benin as well as court rulings promoting the protection of the LGBTIQ+ community.
Americas
The Movement for Human Rights, Peace and Global Justice (MONDHA), representing the Dominican Republic and Haiti, is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded in 2005 with the aim of improving the living conditions of vulnerable communities, with a particular focus on women and young people in these communities. MONDHA’s work is particularly strong in support of people of Haitian descent. To achieve this goal, they implement human development programmes related to community health, legal aid, human rights and education for communities and people of Haitian descent.
Asia and the Pacific
Arnon Nampa is a human rights lawyer who volunteers with Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. TLHR was established in 2014 to provide legal assistance to alleged violators of lèse-majesté (insulting the monarchy) and HRDs targeted by the authorities following the military coup of 22 May 2014. Arnon Nampa has defended numerous individuals accused of lèse-majesté under Article 112 of the Criminal Code, including the cases of several jailed HRDs.
Mhamed Hali from Western Sahara is a dedicated human rights defender and a member of the Sahrawi Association of Victims of Grave Human Rights Violations committed by the Moroccan State (ASVDH). He holds a doctorate in international humanitarian law, and currently serves as the Secretary General of the Association for the Protection of Sahrawi Prisoners in Moroccan Prisons (LPPS).
Front Line Defenders is currently accepting nominations for the 2025 Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk:
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, at great personal risk to themselves. The Award focuses national and international attention on the HRDs work, providing them with a greater national and international platform to speak about and advocate for their work.
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 recognise all five as the 2025 Front Line Defenders Award Laureates. For more on this award and its laureates, see: https://www.trueheroesfilms.org/thedigest/awards/2E90A0F4-6DFE-497B-8C08-56F4E831B47D.
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 aimed at improving the HRD’s protection;
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-organised 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 2025 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. 2025 Front Line Defenders Award – Nomination Form
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
Deadline for nominations: 10 January 2025
Please note:
Incomplete nominations will not be considered. Please complete the nomination form in full and provide all of the information requested.
Nominations can be submitted by organisations or individuals.
Individual nominees may not play a prominent role in a political party and must be currently active in human rights work (the Front Line Defenders Award is not intended to recognise a historical or posthumous contribution).
Nominees should be active human rights defenders.
Self-nomination is not permitted.
The number of nominations a HRD or organisation receives is not considered when evaluating the nominees.
All nominations must be accompanied by 2 references.
On 31 May 2024, Front Line Defenders announced the five winners of its top distinction, the 2024 Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk, at a special ceremony in Dublin this morning. Laureates from each of the major global regions travelled to Ireland to accept the Award, including:
Africa: Gamito dos Santos Carlos of AJOPAZ, the Youth Association for Peace (Mozambique)
Americas: The Trans women collective Muñecas de Arcoíris (Honduras), represented by Jennifer Bexara Córdova
Asia and the Pacific: Sammi Deen Baloch of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (Balochistan, Pakistan)
Europe and Central Asia: Doros Polykarpou of KISA (Cyprus)
Middle East and North Africa: We Are Not Numbers (Gaza, Palestine), represented by Ahmed Alnaouq
“Given the immensity of the challenges we face and the adverse forces working against human rights in many parts of the world, it might seem tempting to lose hope that a better world is even possible,” said Alan Glasgow, Executive Director of Front Line Defenders. “But these courageous human rights defenders have defied that temptation and inspire us to keep hope alive. They say ‘no’ to the perpetrators and ‘yes’ to optimism – they know a fairer, more equal, rights-respecting world is worth fighting for.
Gamito dos Santos Carlos, a human rights defender from Nampula, northern Mozambique, is the executive director of AJOPAZ, the Youth Association for Peace. His human rights work centres around social, civil and political rights and accountability. Gamito has been advocating for the protection of human rights activists and engaging with young people to advocate for significant social change in his community, to foster justice and sustainable decision-making by authorities. He is also a member of the Friends of Amurane Association for a Better Mozambique -KÓXUKHURO, as well as an analyst and Provincial Coordinatorof the Mozambican Network of Human Rights Defenders (RMDDH). He has faced ongoing intimidation for his human rights work, including repeated raids on his home and the loss of his job, and in March 2023 he was kidnapped and tortured after he organised a demonstration.
Muñecas de Arcoíris (Rainbow Dolls) is a collective of trans women from the city of Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela in Honduras, founded in 2008. Muñecas works under the LGTBI+ Arcoíris Association of Honduras with the aim of creating a safe space for trans sex worker women. The members of Muñecas started as volunteers of the Arcoíris Association, where they became more aware of the situation that trans people were facing in Honduras. With the support of the Arcoíris Association, Muñecas members received training related to their rights as LGTBI+ people. They then started to document human rights violations specifically against trans women in 2006 and two years later, on 31 October 2008, the collective was formally created as a trans women organisation. Most of its members are sex workers, informal workers, stylists, and housekeepers,among others.
Sammi Deen Baloch is a Baloch woman human rights defender from Mashkai, Awaran District of Balochistan province,Pakistan. She is the General Secretary of the Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP), a non-governmental organisation that represents and supports victims and relatives of enforced disappearances in Balochistan. In June 2009, at the age of 10, Sammi’s father, Dr Deen Mohammed Baloch, was forcibly disappeared in Khuzdar, Balochistan. She began persistently campaigning for the release of her father, which further led to her deeper, collective involvement in advocating against enforced disappearances in Balochistan by state forces.
Doros Polykarpou is a leading human rights defender and founding member of KISA (the Movement for Equality, Support, and Anti-Racism). He is an expert on migration, asylum, discrimination, racism, and trafficking in Cyprus. For over 27 years, he has dedicated himself to defending and advocating for the rights of people on the move and tackling discrimination and xenophobia in Cyprus, navigating the unique socio-political environment of the small island nation with strong conservative elements. This has exposed him and the organisation to a backlash, and earlier this year KISA’s office was targeted by a bomb attack. [see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2024/01/19/attack-against-cypriot-anti-racism-ngo-kisa/]
We Are Not Numbers (WANN) is a youth-led Palestinian nonprofit project established in the Gaza Strip in 2014, with the aim of telling the everyday, human stories of thousands of Palestinians. Their vision is to spread Palestinian voices and narratives, based on respect for human rights through the work of peaceful, non-violent, youth led Palestinians. When co-founder Ahmed Alnaouq lost his 23-year-old brother, Ayman, during an Israeli military attack on Palestinians in the summer of 2014, he was devastated, and sunk into a depression from which he thought he would never escape. During this time, he met American journalist Pam Bailey, who encouraged him to celebrate his brother’s legacy by writing a story about him. Like many young people in Gaza, Ahmed was majoring in English literature to improve his language skills. Pam published the story on a Western news website, which was well-received beyond expectation. Ahmed and Pam realised that writing the story had brought some healing to him and that this could be done on a much bigger platform.
Front Line Defenders just published ‘Dispatches 2019′ its annual magazine showcasing the work the organisation is doing to support human rights defenders. Together with Global Analysis 2019 (on which I reported already: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2020/01/14/front-line-defenders-global-analysis-2019-is-out-304-hrds-killed/),it offers a valuable reminder of the courage of human rights defenders in driving positive social change around the world and maintaining hope in the face of enormous adversity:
Over the last year, Front Line Defenders has continued to expand its support to human rights defenders most at risk. In 2019, FLD provided rapid and practical support to 2,307 human rights defenders and 366 organisations in 117 countries. Through the Protection Grants programme alone, FLD provided direct support through 626 grants totalling over euro 1.5 million to HRDs facing urgent threats, an increase of 17% compared to 2018.
As highlighted in its 2019-2022 Strategic Plan <https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/strategic-plan>, it is an organisational priority to support most-marginalised HRDs, including women human rights defenders, LGBTI rights defenders and defenders working on land, environment and indigenous peoples’ rights. Some examples of that commitment in 2019 include the provision of an unprecedented number of protection grants to environmental rights defenders (+51%), the presentation of the Front Line Defenders Annual Award to five LGBTI+ Rights Defenders, the beginning of a new learning and consultation process focused on defamation facing women human rights defenders at risk, and the publication (with Irish writing centre Fighting Words) of the anthology Yes, We Still Drink Coffee, Stories of Women Human Rights Defenders.
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 