Bekanyang’s national human rights award was initiated last year to recognize and honour the outstanding work of human right advocates. Last year, five media houses were awarded in the human rights media friendly category, while other awards such as human rights hero and the human right champion of the year 2019 was awarded to various individuals.
Nfamara Jawneh, the executive director of Beakanyang, said the award forms part of activities marking international human rights day.
The award, he added, is meant to honour and recognize the important work of human right advocates and defenders in The Gambia.
“The objective of these awards is to honour the extraordinary work of Human Rights Defenders and in the promotion and protection of human rights as well as to recognize and appreciate the human rights work of young advocates while inspiring other youths,” he said.
He said this year the award would be presented in two categories: the human rights hero of the year and the young human right defender of the year award.
“The winner in each category will receive a cash award, a plaque with the HRD’s name on it.”
The winners would be invited as guests at the human rights defender award ceremony 2020. However, this year, both the commemoration and award would be held in Basse, URR on December 10th, 2020.
Madi Jobarteh, a human rights hero described the Bekanyang human right award as the most prestigious awards in the country.
Jobarteh, who is also the chairperson of the award committee acknowledged that the award is credible and would not be given ‘to just anyone.’
He indicated that standard criteria are yet to be set for the award, stating that the protection of rights starts from the awareness of such rights.
“Human right is about everything and everything is about human rights.”
To this end, Beakanyang called on Gambians to nominate worthy Gambian human right advocates for this award.
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