Winners of the 2024 Human Rights Defenders Announced in Nairobi

The Working Group on Human Rights Defenders, in collaboration with the Defenders Coalition and the Embassy of Denmark in Kenya, extends its warm congratulations to the winners of the 2024 Human Rights Defenders Awards (#HRDAwardKE). The awards ceremony, held on November 29, 2024, in Nairobi, recognized individuals who have demonstrated exceptional courage, creativity, resilience, innovation, commitment, and selflessness in advancing human rights and social justice in Kenya.

These awards aim to inspire and encourage ordinary citizens to actively engage in their communities by speaking truth to power and championing constitutionalism. Since their establishment nine years ago, the HRD Awards have honored extraordinary individuals who relentlessly advocate for human rights. This year, six defenders were celebrated for their groundbreaking contributions in four categories:

• Upcoming Human Rights Defender of the Year
• Human Rights Defender of the Year
• Munir Mazrui Lifetime Achievement Award
• Global Solidarity Award
• Popular Vote Award

Below is the complete list of winners in each category:

Upcoming Human Rights Defender of the Year Award

1. Ross Alwala

In recognition of your exemplary contribution towards the promotion and protection of mental health rights in Kisumu County and beyond.

Human Rights Defender of the Year Award

1. Boniface Mwangi 

In recognition of your exemplary courage, consistency, innovation, and creativity in advancing good governance, constitutionalism, rule of law, and the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Kenya.

1. Hussein Khalid

In recognition of your exemplary courage, contribution towards the promotion and protection of human rights and access to justice for survivors and families of victims of rights violations in Kenya.

1. Hanifa Farsafi

In recognition of your exemplary dedication to the promotion and protection of human rights, public accountability and integrity in Kenya.

Munir Mazrui Lifetime Achievement Award

1. Bena Buluma

In recognition of your courage, extraordinary resilience and trailblazing leadership in transforming personal loss into a powerful solidarity and advocacy network for families of victims of enforced disappearances,  extrajudicial killings and police brutality in Kenya’s informal settlements. (Posthumous)

Global Solidarity Award

1. Mehdi Hassan

In recognition of your inspiration and solidarity with global struggles against human rights violations, imperialism, racial discrimination and inequality across the globe.

Popular vote Award

1. Jackson Kuria

In recognition of your outstanding courage, integrity in public service and standing for public good.

ABOUT THE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AWARDS

Advocating for the respect of Human Rights is high risk. Groups and individuals who walk this road are often the targets for reprisals by authorities and private groups who make use of various forms of repression to silence them. The “Declaration of the Rights and Responsibility of individuals, groups and organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms” was adopted in December 1998 and defines these advocates as human rights defenders.

The Defenders Coalition and the Working group on Human Rights Defenders (WGHRD) have played a pioneering role in the protection and recognition of human rights defenders.The WGHRD launched the inaugural Human Rights Defenders(HRD) awards in 2016 to:

1. Honour the extraordinary work of HRD’s in the promotion and protection of human rights,
2. Profile  the work of HRD and challenges they face as agents of social change and transformation;
3.  Recognise and appreciate the human rights work of young and upcoming HRD’s in Kenya;
4. Enhance the safety and protection of all HRD’s in Kenya.

Read about the nominees here