2005 John Humphrey Freedom Award

Rights & Democracy presents the John Humphrey Freedom Award each year to an organization or individual from any country or region of the world, including Canada, for exceptional achievement in the promotion of human rights and democratic development. The Award consists of a grant of $25,000, as well as a speaking tour of Canadian cities to help increase awareness of the recipient’s human rights work.

It is named in honour of the Canadian John Peters Humphrey, a human rights law professor who prepared the first draft of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.



 

Selection Criteria:

  • The nominee must be committed to peace and non-violence.


  • The nominee must be independent of any political party or governmental affiliation.


  • Preference is given to those working at the frontline for the benefit of developing countries, under conditions hostile to the recognition and application of basic human and democratic rights.


  • Preference will be given to those involved in the priority issues of Rights & Democracy, namely: democratic development, women's rights, rights of indigenous peoples, globalization and human rights.


  • In the case of an individual, the Award is not given posthumously, nor is it given to an organization that is no longer active.


  • Former staff or board members of Rights & Democracy are not eligible.


  • Self-nominations are not accepted.


An International Jury

The winner will be selected by an international jury composed of five members of Rights & Democracy's Board of Directors:

Rebecca Cook Professor of Law at the University of Toronto known for her work on reproductive and women's rights.
Sofia Macher Member of the Instituto de Defensa Legal and Former Member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Peru.
Wayne MacKay Professor of Law at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada, and Acting Chairperson of Rights & Democracy's Board of Directors.
Vitit Muntarbhorn Professor of Law at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, and Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Democratic People´s Republic of Korea for the Commission on Human Rights.
Another international member To be confirmed.


Previous Winners:

  • 1992: Instituto de Defensa Legal (Peru).
  • 1993: La Plate-forme des organismes haïtiens de défense des droits humains (Haïti).
  • 1994: Campaign for Democracy (Nigeria) and Egyptian Organization for Human Rights.
  • 1995: Bishop Carlos F. X. Belo (East Timor).
  • 1996: Sultana Kamal (Bangladesh).
  • 1997: Father Javier Giraldo (Colombia).
  • 1998: Palden Gyatso, of Tibet. News Release
  • 1999: Min Ko Naing and Cynthia Maung, of Burma. News Release
  • 2000: Reverend Timothy Njoya, of Kenya. News Release
  • 2001: Doctor Sima Samar, of Afghanistan. News Release.
  • 2002: Ayesha Imam, of Nigeria. News Release
  • 2003: Angélica Mendoza de Ascarza, of Peru, and Kimy Pernía Domicó, of Colombia News Release
  • 2004: Godeliève Mukasarasi (Rwanda) News Release
  • 2005: Yan Christian Warinussy (West Papua) News Release
For more information on the 2005 John Humphrey Freedom Award celebrations, please click here.


Rights & Democracy (International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development) is a Canadian institution with an international mandate. It is an independent organization that promotes, advocates and defends the democratic and human rights set out in the International Bill of Human Rights. In cooperation with civil society and governments in Canada and abroad, Rights & Democracy initiates and supports programmes to strengthen laws and democratic institutions, principally in developing countries.