”Heroes” award recognises work of UN human rights officers

UN Human Rights has received the UN Heroes Award for the work of its human rights officers in field offices across the globe. The award was presented by the UN Foundation.

The UN Heroes Award is one of the Foundation's annual flagship honours at the 'We the Peoples'” gathering, so-named to honour the vision of the UN's founders.

Accepting the award on behalf of the Office, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet dedicated the award in particular to human rights officers in the field "who live and work in more than 90 locations with commitment and unwavering passion, accompanying and sustaining national and local efforts for dignity and rights."

Bachelet noted that the pandemic has made the job of field officers even more difficult – perhaps even more dangerous – over the past two years.

"Monitoring human rights violations and abuses is the key to targeted, practical human rights technical assistance and advocacy that can have real impact," she said.

The UN Foundation's Global Leadership Awards recognise the extraordinary contributions of individuals and organisations who have furthered the work of the UN and advanced its mission of creating a more equitable and sustainable world.

The UN Heroes Award has previously celebrated the work of UN Peacekeepers and on-the-ground humanitarian workers. The awards have also previously featured His Highness the Aga Khan, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah, Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, Secretaries-General Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Other recipients of this year's awards were Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization (Champion for Global Change) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Sustainable Energy for All (Sustainable Development Goal(SDG) Vanguard Awards).