Nominations are now open for Martin Ennals Award 2022! Apply now!
The Martin Ennals Award (MEA) is an international Award given to human rights defenders in urgent need of protection. The Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders honors individuals and organizations who have shown exceptional commitment to defending human rights, despite the risks involved. Many defenders who are nominated for the Award face serious risks. The Award seeks to protect these defenders by highlighting their work through the media and mobilizing international support for them. The presentation of the Award is accompanied by significant advocacy and outreach activities in favor of the human rights defenders concerned. The winners are also given a financial prize to use at their discretion.
The COVID19 pandemic spurred new efforts to leverage digital connectivity for work, health, and personal relationships. But a human rights lens is urgently needed so that the opportunities of digital technology reach all of humanity and solutions can be found for risks online. Human rights defenders are at the forefront of ensuring digital technology is inclusive, respectful of human rights, and employed for human betterment. To offer our support to them and keep the spotlight on these issues, the Martin Ennals Award 2022 will reserve one of its three prizes for defenders working at the intersection of human rights and digital connectivity.
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Nomination Process:
The Martin Ennals Award is a unique collaboration between ten of the world’s leading human rights organizations, who form the independent Jury that selects winners of the Award. In the first half of each year, a nomination cycle takes place over several months, at the end of which the three Martin Ennals Finalists are selected by the Jury. The name of the three Finalists will be publicly announced in early 2022, while the identity of the Laureate will be disclosed at the Award Ceremony, in the first semester of 2022.
Benefits
The Award seeks to protect these defenders by highlighting their work through the media and mobilizing international support for them. The presentation of the Award is accompanied by significant advocacy and outreach activities in favor of the human rights defenders concerned including-
- The Martin Ennals Foundation identifies the needs of the Defenders (protection, digital security, self-care, advocacy, etc.) and prepares the MEA public announcement
- A film is usually produced about each of them, and an outreach and media campaign is organized to publicly announce the three Finalists of the Award
- All of the winners receive an important financial prize intended to support his or her work in the field of human rights
- The international recognition and credibility of the Award contributes to their protection, as does the support of prominent figures such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the City of Geneva, the Republic and Canton of Geneva and other partner organizations.
Eligibilities
To qualify for the Award, the nominees must:
- Be currently active in the promotion and protection of human rights
- Not employ or advocate violence
- Not be self-nominated
- Be in need of protection
In addition to the achievements of the candidate, several criteria are taken into consideration for the Award:
- Candidates must be currently active in the promotion and protection of human rights. The Award does not consider defenders who are deceased
- The candidate should not employ or advocate violence
- Self -nominations are not accepted
- Defenders who are no longer in need of protection (e.g. because they are now in a safe environment) will normally not be considered
Post-humous nominations are not eligible. Nominees must also read and acknowledge the Martin Ennals Foundation Ethical Guidelines. Human rights defenders or organizations can be nominated by a third party, as long as the motivation is substantiated and the candidate meets the MEA criteria, namely being a human rights defender at risk. Past Laureates include lawyers, journalists, civil society activists and even a Buddhist monk.
Eligible Regions: Multiple RegionsApplication Process
Nominate your human rights champion now by filling out the nomination form (available in English, French, Spanish and Arabic) by clicking on Apply Now link.
Looking for fully-funded opportunities, install the Youth Opportunities Android or iOS App here.
Application Deadline: May 30, 2021
Application ClosedOfficial link
