Ignite Awards FAQs

Ignite Awards for Human Rights, the first ever human rights award in the country, was created by Amnesty International Philippines to accord Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) the highest recognition for the work they do in uplifting human rights in the Philippines. Amnesty International is one with the HRDs in fighting, directly or indirectly, for a world where human rights is the norm. Amnesty International Philippines would like to recognize the power of ordinary people doing extraordinary work in defense of human rights.

It is given every 3 years and is currently on its third season.

The awarding categories of the Ignite Awards for Human Rights are:

Most Distinguished Human Rights Defender (one individual and one organization)

Awarded to individuals or organizations whose work on human rights uplift the situation of rights holders and whose work impacts activism, policy-making and changes in peoples’ lives. Individuals and organizations whose contributions to the advancement of human rights in the Philippines have resulted to immensely improved lives of those who will otherwise be marginalized or oppressed.

Outstanding Young Human Rights Defender

Awarded to an individual under the age of 25 years (on 28 May) and who has made an outstanding contribution to advancing human rights in Philippines. Outstanding young people who served as prime movers and influencers among their peers towards mobilizing for human rights activism.

Art that Matters

Awarded to artists who have utilized their art in defending freedoms and helped in revolutionizing human rights education through their craft.

Art that Matters Award is dedicated to an artist or a group of artists from different art genres like music, film, literary, visual and performance art, who serve as influencers and have utilized their art forms in defending freedoms and upholding human rights. For every awarding season, Ignite Awards for Human Rights will award one artist for the year’s chosen genre.

Most Distinguished Human Rights Defender

For individuals:

• a bona fide Filipino citizen, 26 years old and above, not an active Amnesty International member, residing in the Philippines
• must significantly contributed to the upliftment of human rights in the Philippines or elsewhere
• made a clear qualitative or quantitative impact on human rights in the Philippines

For organizations:

• must have the accreditation of relevant Philippine government institution or agency, initiated and run by Filipinos for the benefit of Filipinos
• must significantly contributed to the upliftment of human rights in the Philippines
• must have consistently rendered meritorious human rights work in the Philippines
• made a clear qualitative or quantitative impact on human rights in the Philippines

Outstanding Young Human Rights Defender

• Awarded to an individual under the age of 25 years (on 28 May) and who has made an outstanding contribution to
• a bona fide Filipino citizen, 25 years of age (on or before 28 May of any awarding year) or under, not an active Amnesty International member, residing in the Philippines
• must have exemplified exceptional leadership and excellence in mobilizing the youth to take action for human rights in the Philippines
• must have engaged with human rights work for the substantial part of his/her youth in the Philippines or elsewhere as part of his/her learning on human rights

Art that Matters

• a bona fide Filipino citizen of any age, a practicing literature writer or any profession related to literature, not an active Amnesty International member, residing in the Philippines
• must have impact on the Filipino people in promoting human rights using their art work
• must have consistently advanced human rights through their art work

Anyone can nominate an organization or an individual as long as they use the nomination forms released at the start of the season. You can choose to nominate on all categories or just one for your chosen category.  

To complete your nomination, ask your nominee/s to fill out and sign the CV to be emailed either by the nominator or the nominee to: [email protected] with the subject: Amnesty Ignite Awards Season X (category), (name of the nominee). Example: Amnesty Ignite Awards S3 Most Distinguished Human Rights Defender (individual), Juan Dela Cruz.

All nominees are requested to fill out Amnesty International’s standard curriculum vitae (CV) form found on the nominations link after submission. Signed CVs indicate that the nominee accepts the nomination.

Yes. Individuals who wish to nominate themselves or their organizations are welcome to do so.

In the nominations form, simply input your name both on the nominee and nominator field and follow the instructions found on this FAQ item #4.

For the previous seasons, we have not given a posthumous award but this may be considered in subsequent awarding seasons.

If you think your nominee is qualified in more than one Ignite Awards for Human Rights category, you can nominate that individual on two or all categories so long as they meet the basic eligibility requirement. See FAQ item #3.

Please note that nominating the same individual in two or more categories means you have to fill out each nomination form for all the categories. However, the nominee only needs to submit one CV for his/her multiple nominations EXCEPT for the Art That Matters category which has a special CV form, thus needs to be filled out and sent separately.

Ignite Awards for Human Rights Board of Judges will be guided by the following criteria:

Impact of human rights work (40%)

Coverage of human rights work (40%)

Credibility (20%)

The CVs accepted during the nominations process will initially be examined for eligibility by the Ignite Awards for Human Rights Selection Committee. If any additional information is needed, an Ignite Project Staff shall reach out to eligible candidates for a brief interview over the phone or personally. Once a short list of eligible candidates are finalized, this will then be endorsed to the Board of Judges for deliberations.

The Board of Judges will conduct deliberation sessions based on the short list of eligible candidates submitted by the Selection Committee until the finalists are determined. The Board of Judges shall then give their scores based on the above criteria.
After deliberations and scoring, the list of Ignite Awards for Human Rights winners shall be endorsed by the Board of Judges to Amnesty International Philippines Board of Trustees for confirmation. Official announcement of winners are issued on 28 May of the awarding year, on Amnesty International’s founding anniversary.

Ignite Awards for Human Rights deadline for submission of nominations usually close on the 30th day of November, which may be extended accordingly with proper rounds of announcements.

Aside from the prestige of being recognized by Amnesty International for their human rights work, awardees for categories will receive an Ignite Awards for Human Rights trophy, plaque of recognition, an HRE lecture series, a feature on the campAIgn News Magazine, Amnesty’s website, and social media accounts, a promotional video, and an episode on Ignite Conversations FB Live Talk Show.