Press Release
Amnesty International Philippines, on the occasion of its 58th global anniversary, opened the nominations for Season Two of Ignite Awards for Human Rights. First of its kind, it is Amnesty Philippines’ highest honor given to human rights defenders in the country.
“Despite the socio-political turmoil we are experiencing right now, we at Amnesty strongly believe that our individual and collective power as a people working towards transforming and uplifting each other must be given due recognition and appreciation now more than ever. It is necessary to shine a spotlight on those individuals who pave the way for collective action. The work that Human Rights Defenders or HRDs do are often overlooked and more often than not, they are attacked, imprisoned, harassed or even killed because of their work, instead of being encouraged or recognized as key agents of change,” said Butch Olano, Director at Amnesty International Philippine Section.
Recipients of Ignite Awards for Human Rights Season One, launched in May 2017, were Senator Leila De Lima for the Most Distinguished Human Rights Defender – Individual, Dakila for the Most Distinguished Human Rights Defender – Organization, Floyd Scott Tiogangco for Outstanding Young Human Rights Defender and Cha Roque for Art that Matters for Film. The awarding ceremony was held in 2018.
“We opened the nominations earlier this year for the awarding in 2020 completing its 3-year cycle, so that more people can nominate HRDs from the grassroots movement. We welcome nominations for HRDs fighting for the rights of women and girls, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people. Also for those who are working on the protection of the rights to health, education, justice, employment and the environment. The genre for the Art that Matters category this season is literature so, Ignite Awards is also looking forward to getting nominees from the literary field,” explained Olano.
Ignite Awards for Human Rights is part of Amnesty’s goal in reclaiming freedoms under its campaign for the protection of HRDs. The organization demands that in order for HRDs to carry out their important work free from harassment, intimidation and violence, and to meaningfully participate in the development and monitoring of relevant policies and programs for the advancement of gender rights, as well as social and environmental justice, all governments must urgently put in place fully-resourced plans of action, including effective protection measures and impartial investigations to bring to justice those responsible for violence or threats, and establish national laws in line with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, as well as international standards relating to non-discrimination particularly based on sex, gender, sexual orientation.
For more information on Ignite Awards for Human Rights nomination process, visit https://www.amnesty.org.ph/ignite-awards/