Secretary Antony Blinken presented the Human Rights Defender Award to eight human rights advocates at The State Department.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 11, 2024) – The McCain Institute at Arizona State University (ASU), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State and Humanity United, is proud to honor eight exceptional human rights advocates as recipients of the Global Human Rights Defender Award. These individuals, selected by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, exemplify the unyielding pursuit of freedom, justice, and democracy worldwide.
“We are honored to join Secretary Blinken in recognizing these defenders who risk their lives daily to uphold human rights and democracy. Senator John McCain devoted his life to these ideals, and it is in his enduring spirit that we continue to advance his legacy through our Human Rights Defenders Program,” said Dr. Evelyn Farkas, executive director of the McCain Institute. “The detention of Rufat Safarov, just before he could receive his well-earned recognition, serves as a chilling reminder of the constant threats faced by human rights advocates globally. We demand the immediate release of Safarov by Azeri authorities.”
This year’s honorees come from various regions and champion diverse causes, symbolizing the resilience of civil society in overcoming adversity. The 2024 honorees include:
Mary Ann Abunda (Kuwait) is an advocate for the rights of migrant workers in Kuwait. As a survivor of migrant worker abuse and exploitation herself, Mary Ann has led grassroots advocacy campaigns and helped to establish networks and resources for migrant workers, including access to legal aid, counseling and shelter. Through work with government and civil society stakeholders, she has played a key role in the passage of the 2015 Domestic Workers’ Law and the development of best practices and networks for migrant workers globally.
Amparo Carvajal (Bolivia) has been a human rights defender in Bolivia for more than 50 years and is the co-founder and president of the Permanent Human Rights Assembly of Bolivia (APDHB). Amparo Carvajal founded APDHB in 1976 as a volunteer organization to monitor and advocate for human rights. Under her leadership, APDHB continues to provide support and pro-bono services to victims and survivors of human rights violations and their families. Following a raid and occupation of APDHB headquarters in June 2023, Amparo spent 51 days in vigil outside the occupied building in protest. Despite her age (85) and health condition, she continues to fight for the defense and promotion of human rights in Bolivia.
Aida Dzhumanazarova (Kyrgyz Republic)is the country director and legal consultant for the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) in the Kyrgyz Republic, where she has been instrumental in preserving an enabling environment and empowering civil society for over a decade. Since joining ICNL in 2011, Aida has provided technical assistance in drafting enabling laws, educational and legal support to civil society organizations (CSOs), and contributed to advocacy campaigns against the deterioration of the legal environment for CSOs in the country. During her tenure as the Senior Program Officer for USAID’s Collaborative Governance Program from 2019 to 2020, she collaborated closely with the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, focusing on implementing the country’s Open Government commitments and enhancing public consultation mechanisms, which led to the establishment of the Kyrgyz Republic’s public discussion portal, www.koomtalkuu.gov.kg. Aida has published articles on advocacy, public councils, charitable organizations, and fundraising, and is a Fulbright Foreign Student Program alumna and a graduate of Kyrgyz-Russian Slavonic University and Emory University School of Law.
Mang Hre Lian (Burma) has spent all his adult life working in different capacities to promote human rights, religious freedom, media freedom and youth political participation in Burma. He has led various projects within the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO), the only locally led human rights organization from Burma with United Nations ECOSOC Special Consultative Status, including election monitoring, human rights documentation, awareness promotion, and outreach. Since the military coup of 2021, Mang has led CHRO’s human rights documentation team, which has been instrumental in exposing and highlighting serious rights violations amounting to international crimes committed against his people by the Burmese military. His leadership has ensured high-quality documentation of atrocity crimes, which resulted in the filing of cases in Indonesia and the Philippines against Burmese military leaders, as well as in providing crucial evidence that propelled the UN Security Council to discuss the situation in Burma in November 2021.
Thulani Maseko (Eswatini)- posthumous was a lawyer and an advocate for civil rights and a peaceful democratic transition in Eswatini. He was murdered by an unknown assailant in 2023. Thulani spent his career advocating for democracy and human rights, including serving as the head of the Swaziland Student Representative Council and founding the Lawyers for Human Rights Association. He was a State Department Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow in 2010, receiving a master’s degree in international legal studies from American University. As an attorney, Thulani also defended the President of the People’s United Democratic Movement in 2008, successfully sued the government to enforce provisions of the 2005 constitution guaranteeing a right to free education and brought the suit challenging the constitutionality of King Mswati III’s unilateral decision to change the country’s name from Swaziland to Eswatini. He was convicted on allegations of sedition in 2014 for an article criticizing the government’s lack of adherence to the rule of law. In the wake of Eswatini’s 2021 civil unrest, Thulani founded the Multi-Stakeholders Forum to coordinate a peaceful engagement between civil society and the government of Eswatini, calling for an inclusive national dialogue on the reform of Eswatini’s political system.
Ebenezer Peegah (Ghana) is a dedicated human rights defender and activist renowned for his unwavering commitment to the rights of sexual and gender minorities in Ghana. As the Executive Director of Rightify Ghana, an NGO advancing LGBTQ+ rights, Ebenezer has been at the forefront of numerous advocacy campaigns. With over a decade of experience in community organizing, he has become a prominent figure advocating for equality and justice. Ebenezer’s work extends beyond advocacy, as he actively documents and reports human rights violations faced by sexual and gender minorities, while also promoting their rights through media monitoring and engagement. As a passionate leader, Ebenezer takes pride in facilitating and leading empowerment activities to enhance the capacity of marginalized groups, fostering resilience and unity. Ebenezer’s unwavering dedication continues to inspire change and make a lasting impact in Ghana and beyond.
Juana Ruiz (Colombia) is an Afro-Colombian social leader, human rights defender, teacher, and artist who coordinates the Weaving Dreams and Flavors of Mampuján Association (ASVIDAS). Hailing from the community of Mampuján in northern Bolívar, Juana has dedicated her life to fostering reconciliation and healing for victims and survivors of Colombia’s decades-long conflict. Her activism began in 2000 after paramilitary forces massacred members of her community, resulting in the forced displacement of over 1,500 people. In response, she founded a quilting group with survivors to process their trauma and tell their stories through art, which evolved into ASVIDAS, an organization that uses quilting as a therapeutic tool and a means to seek justice. Juana’s work has been recognized nationwide, with quilts displayed in Bogotá’s National Museum, and her leadership led to the creation of the Museum of Art and Memory of Mampuján, a space dedicated to acknowledging the violence her community suffered. Despite ongoing threats, she continues to champion human rights and social justice, advocating for Afro-Colombian communities and promoting community-based justice initiatives, earning her numerous accolades, including the National Peace Prize and the World Summit Foundation’s Prize for Women’s Creativity in Rural Life.
Rufat Safarov (Azerbaijan) is the head of Defense Line, a civil society organization that documents and reports on politically motivated arrests and prosecutions, government corruption, and allegations of torture. He is one of the few full-time human rights defenders in Azerbaijan. In 2015, Rufat publicly raised concerns about abuses and corruption in the Prosecutor General’s Office where he worked. He lost his position, was arrested, convicted, and served three years of a nine-year sentence. Rufat was pardoned in 2019, but later arrested again for participating in a demonstration. He was released after spending a month in prison. Rufat holds a master’s degree in law from Baku State University and has over 21 years of professional experience.
This year celebrates the 76th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 26thanniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Supporting human rights defenders is integral to the McCain Institute and U.S. foreign policy, as these champions for human rights protect democracy, civil society, economic prosperity, and environmental sustainability.
The McCain Institute is deeply committed to upholding freedom, democracy, and universal human rights. Reflecting this commitment, the McCain Institute aids human rights defenders facing harassment, threats, or displacement through its Human Rights Defenders (HRD) Program. Watch videos to learn more about the HRD program and hear directly from McCain Institute HRDs from India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Uganda, and Ukraine HERE.
About the McCain Institute at Arizona State University
The McCain Institute is a nonpartisan organization inspired by Senator John McCain and his family’s dedication to public service. We are part of Arizona State University and based in Washington, D.C. Our programs defend democracy, advance human rights and freedom, and empower character-driven leaders. Our unique power to convene leaders across the global political spectrum enables us to make a real impact on the world’s most pressing challenges. Our goal is action, not talk, and like Senator McCain, we are fighting to create a free, safe, and just world for all.
About Arizona State University
Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American research university, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it.
