By Nyima Bah
Beakanyang, a local human rights organization, on Monday 24th November organized a press conference to address the general public of their forthcoming annual human rights hero awards and international Human Rights Day celebration, which is slated for 10th of December 2020.
The Human Rights Day is observed annually on the 10th of December by the international community, it’s a celebration that commemorates the day in 1948 when the united nations general assembly adopted the universal declaration of human rights.
The day is an annual reserved date to recognize and remind the world of the inalienable rights that everyone is inherently entitled to regardless of the difference.
Nfamara Jawneh, Executive Director of Beakanyang, said the organization has been in existence since 2019, it’s also the leading human right organization in the country. He said their main objective is to recognize the effort and the contribution of human rights defenders of this country.
“Human rights defenders have always been in the forefront of the struggle for liberation when it comes to the promotion of human rights and at little do we recognize their work,” he said.
He also mentioned that they will be partnering with the UDHR for this year’s international human rights day celebration to help promote the work of the human rights defenders globally.
He further stated that this year’s award ceremony will take place in Basse, Upper River Region and the awards will be presented in two categories which include the human rights hero of the year and the young human rights defender of the year. Winners will be given a plot of land plus cash prizes.
Madi Jobarteh, human rights defender and also the first winner of Beakanyang human rights hero award, stressed that a lot of human rights activists have been recognized internationally, “but unfortunately that’s not the case in Gambia.” He commended Beakanyang for being the first to change the narrative by introducing the human rights award ceremony, adding that now people are being enlightened about human rights issues.
Jobarteh said the government and other stakeholders should participate in the promotion of human rights issues.
