2016 EU Human Rights Defenders Award: Call for Nominations

Award recognises outstanding contributions to human rights

The Embassy of Ireland in Kampala, together with other European Union member states represented in Uganda, is inviting nominations for the 2016 EU Human Rights Defenders Award. The EU HRD Award is presented annually, to raise awareness of the work of Human Rights Defenders in Uganda. The award recognises and honours the achievements of an individual Human Rights Defender active in Uganda, who has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights during the preceding 12 months.

Individuals or organisations can nominate candidates for the EU HRD Award. Nominations from human rights organisations active in Uganda are particularly welcome. Human Rights Defenders are people who promote and protect universally recognised human rights and fundamental freedoms. These include civil and political rights, as well as economic , social and cultural rights. Human Rights Defenders also promote and protect the rights of members of minority groups. The broad range of activities carried out by HRDs can include the following:

• documenting human rights violations;
• seeking remedies for victims of human rights violations through the provision of legal, psychological, medical or other support;
• combating the culture of impunity which can hide systematic ad repeated breaches of human rights and fundamental freedoms;
• mainstreaming a human rights culture, and transmitting information about HRDs at the national, regional and international levels;
• advocacy for the respect of human rights.

Nominations should be sent by e-mail to: kampala.reception@fco.gov.uk

Nominations should be a maximum of one page in length, and should use the following Nomination Form 2016 EU Human Rights Defenders Award.

The deadline for nominations for the 2016 EU HRD Awards is 15 April 2016.

The winner will be announced on 20 May 2016 at a ceremony hosted by the Danish Embassy in Uganda.