Late Pakistani human rights lawyer Asma Jahangir has posthumously been awarded the UN Human Rights Prize 2018.
The prize was awarded to Jahangir, who passed away on February 11 after suffering a stroke at the age of 66. The award was accepted by her daughter Munizae Jahangir at a ceremony held at UN General Assembly, New York as part of activities to celebrate Human Rights Day.
“Many remember Pakistani lawyer Asma Jahangir as 'a giant' in the global human rights movement. Learn about her fearless contributions to human rights and why she’s one of this year’s UN Human Rights Prize winners,” the UN Human Rights Twitter account posted.
Many remember Pakistani lawyer Asma Jahangir as “a giant” in the global human rights movement. Learn about her fearless contributions to #humanrights & why she’s one of this year’s UN Human Rights Prize winners: https://t.co/1xI0gHFyNL #StandUp4HumanRights pic.twitter.com/qAz4VvXwq7
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) December 18, 2018
A large number of diplomats, human rights activists and senior UN officials attended the ceremony.
The Human Rights Prize is awarded every five years, in accordance with a resolution of the General Assembly that was adopted in 1966.
President of the UNGA María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés also congratulated Jahangir and the other three recipients of this year’s award on Twitter. “Warmest congratulations to the 2018 winners of the UN Human Rights Prize. Rebeca Gyumi, Asma Jahangir Joênia Wapichana and FrontLineHRD. Your work inspires us all.”
Jahangir was known for taking up court cases of victimised and marginalised sections of society, as well as for speaking against human rights violations and her courageous stand against the military rule of General Zia-ul-Haq.
An author and staunch activist of democracy, Jahangir also received several accolades for her work on human rights.
Jahangir was also a vocal opponent of judicial overreach and would often confront the superior judiciary when it would extend its jurisdiction in her opinion.
From 1998-2000, Jahangir served as the special rapporteur of the UN Commission on Extrajudicial, Summary and Arbitrary Executions and was the special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief of the UN Commission on Human Rights since 2004.
