Pioneering lawyer, pro-democracy campaigner and avid civil rights activist Hina Jilani was announced today as the recipient of the 2020 Stockholm Human Rights Award – bestowed annually by the Swedish Bar Association,the International Bar Association (IBA) and the International Legal Assistance Consortium (ILAC).
Ms Jilani has always been a strong and fearless advocate for women’s rights. She founded Pakistan’s first all-female law firm to provide legal aid to women. The scope of her practice grew to include legal education, research and protection from exploitation. The same year she established the Women’s Action Forum, a campaign group that advocated for women’s rights and challenged the discriminatory laws with which she had grown up. It is most timely to endow Stockholm Human Rights Award to Ms Jilani this year when the UN Women, Peace and Security agenda celebrates its twenty-year anniversary.
The Stockholm Human Rights Award is given to an individual, and/or organisation, for outstanding contributions to human rights and the rule of law. Last year’s recipients were David Miliband and the humanitarian aid body the International Rescue Committee (IRC) that he heads.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the prize ceremony of 2020 was cancelled. The Stockholm Human Rights Award for 2020 will be presented to the laureate at the 2021 prize ceremony.
You can read the official press release of the announcement here.
Past recipients of the Stockholm Human Rights Award are:
- 2018: Judge Thomas Buergenthal
- 2017: International Criminal Court
- 2016: Mary Robinson
- 2015: Prince Zeid Raʿad Zeid Al-Hussein
- 2014: B’Tselem
- 2013: Professor M. Cherif Bassiouni
- 2012: Thomas Hammarberg and European Roma Rights Centre
- 2011: George Soros and Aryeh Neier
- 2010: Navi Pillay
- 2009: Richard Goldstone
