Palestinian, Filipino, And Mozambican Activists Win Human Rights Award

The Right Livelihood Award has been presented to three activists from the Palestinian territories, the Philippines, and Mozambique, along with a pioneering UK research agency.

In the Philippines, Indigenous activist Joan Carling was honored “for raising Indigenous voices in the face of the global ecological breakdown and her leadership in defending people, lands, and culture.” I Photo: Righ Livelihood Facebook

These honorees have “each made a profound impact on their communities and the global stage,” the Associated Press (AP).

“Their unwavering commitment to speaking out against forces of oppression and exploitation, while strictly adhering to non-violent methods, resonates far beyond their communities,” stated the Stockholm-based foundation.

This year, it considered 176 nominees from 72 countries. Issa Amro, a human rights activist in the occupied West Bank, and his group, Youth Against Settlements, were recognized “for their steadfast non-violent resistance to Israel’s illegal occupation, promoting Palestinian civic action through peaceful means.”

In the Philippines, Indigenous activist Joan Carling was honored “for raising Indigenous voices in the face of the global ecological breakdown and her leadership in defending people, lands, and culture.”

Anabela Lemos, a Mozambican environmental activist and director of Justiça Ambiental!, received recognition for “empowering communities to stand up for their right to reject exploitative mega-projects and demand environmental justice.”

This marks the first time the award has been given to a recipient from Mozambique.

Forensic Architecture, based at the University of London, was also honored “for pioneering digital forensic methods to ensure justice and accountability for victims and survivors of human and environmental rights violations.”

The annual Right Livelihood Award, established in 1980 by Swedish-German philanthropist Jakob von Uexkull, honors efforts that he felt were overlooked by the Nobel Prizes. To date, 198 laureates from 77 countries have received the award.