Call for Nominations: Martin Ennals Award 2024

The Martin Ennals Award (MEA) is an international prize given to human rights defenders in urgent need of protection. Many defenders who are nominated for the Award face serious risks – for example, they are in jail or at risk of detention; they have been prevented from carrying out their work by authorities or businesses, or they have disappeared. 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 names of the Laureates will be publicly announced in the summer months 2024. Mark your calendar for the Award Ceremony 2024 which will take place on the 21 November 2024 in Geneva.

Award Information

• All of the winners receive an important financial prize intended to support their work in the field of human rights. However, the importance of this Award to human rights defenders is not restricted to its financial aspect. The international recognition and credibility of the Martin Ennals 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.
• What happens after the Martin Ennals Award Ceremony?
  • The Martin Ennals Foundation has developed several initiatives to further empower human rights defenders in their work and enable the younger generation to develop its own human rights skills. In the months following the Ceremony, the Laureates are invited to take part in the “Geneva Residency” and the “Defenders Network” initiatives.

Eligibility Criteria

• To qualify for the Award 2024, 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
• They encourage nominations of activists under 30 years of age to reflect the growing number of young persons joining the human rights movements in their countries. Post-humous nominations are not eligible.
• Self-nominations for the MEA are not accepted. 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, teachers, civil society activists, and even a Buddhist monk.

For more information, visit Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders.