The Ginetta Sagan Award: Juwairiya Mohideen from Sri Lanka jointly wins Amnesty International award

Juwairiya Mohideen was compelled to leave her home in 1990 during the expulsion of Muslims in Northern Sri Lanka, and relocated to Puttalam in the Northwestern region as an internally displaced person.

Despite numerous challenges, Juwairiya became an activist, founding the Muslim Women’s Development Trust and joining the Women’s Action Network, which advocates for women’s and marginalized individuals’ rights.

For over three decades, Juwairiya has been a determined advocate against gender-based violence, addressing discriminatory practices in Muslim marriage law.

Her efforts also focus on fostering reconciliation between Muslim and Tamil communities, contributing significantly to social change.

The Ginetta Sagan Award is an annual $20,000 grant presented by Amnesty International USA to a courageous woman human rights defender who is working in dangerous contexts to further the rights of women and children. The award was established in memory of Ginetta Sagan, a lifelong activist who dedicated her life to fighting for human rights around the world.

The Ginetta Sagan Award recognizes and assists women who are working to protect the liberty and lives of women and children in areas where human rights violations are widespread. The award also serves as a beacon of hope to women everywhere who are fighting for human rights, underscoring that more human rights work must be done by and for women.

The award recipient is selected by a panel of human rights experts based on a number of factors, including the courage and dedication of the nominee, the impact of her work on the lives of women and children, and the potential for the award to further her work.

The Ginetta Sagan Award is a powerful symbol of Amnesty International's commitment to supporting women human rights defenders and to promoting human rights around the world.