HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY AND AWARD
-Robert F. Kennedy, 1966 South Africa
The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights engages in long-term partnerships with human rights activists to initiate and support sustainable social justice movements. Established by Kerry Kennedy in 1987, RFK Center utilizes a professional human rights staff, the Kennedy family, and their networks to realize the change our partner activists seek; these include over coming unjust social norms, changing policies and actions of governments, intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions (IFIs), and corporations. RFK Center works under the direction of partners on the ground, former winners of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, using innovative tools to achieve sustainable social change, including litigation, technical initiatives, advocating with governments, UN and other international entities and NGOs, and launching consumer awareness campaigns aimed at fostering corporate responsibility.
Human Rights Award
The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award was established in 1984 by his eldest child, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, to honor courageous and innovative individuals striving for social justice throughout the world. Each year, the RFK Center awards an individual whose courageous activism is at the heart of the human rights movement and in the spirit of Robert F. Kennedy's vision and legacy. The Human Rights Award Laureates have made significant contributions to their countries through years of dedicated work. Laureates are chosen through an exhaustive annual nomination and selection process with nominations submitted from all over the world. RFK Center offers not only a monetary contribution to their cause, but a five year partnership, through the RFK Center, in the fight for justice.
For more information please contact Fernanda Katz Ellenberg at nominations@rfkmemorial.org.
Laureate to Laureate Projects
RFK Laureates often discover their communities experience similar sets of challenges and that their work intersects with other former RFK Award winners. These synergies provide unique opportunities for these human rights defenders to collaborate on projects addressing rights violations across countries:
- Right to Education (Colombia, Dominican Republic,and Guatemala)
- Right to Food (Haiti and Brazil)
Award Recipients
Advocating for political and social change in Zimbabwe, empowering women, and striving for universal education.
Promoting the civil and political rights of the Sahrawi people of Western Sahara, including the freedom of speech and assembly and the right to self-determination.
Treating victims of torture, and to ensure peace process includes provisions for post conflict truth and reconciliation.
Striving to realize the right of Dominican children of Haitian descent to a name and a nationality and for the respect of the fundamental rights of Haitian immigrants in Dominican Republic.
Establishing the right to return and participate for those displaced from their homes by the Gulf Coast hurricanes.
Advocating for social, economic, and environmental rights in Chad and for World Bank accountability and corporate responsibility in the disbursement of oil revenues.
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