Benazir Bhutto Among Seven Winners Of UN Rights Prize

By Staff

Thursday, November 27, 2008, 15:08

Benazir Bhutto among seven winners of UN rights prize

A Congolese doctor who treats female victims of sexual violence, a nun who advocated for indigenous rights before her murder in Brazil three years ago and slain Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto are among seven recipients of a prestigious UN prize for outstanding work in the field of human rights.

The UN prize, awarded by the General Assembly every five years, will be presented at a ceremony in New York on December 10 to mark the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The other winners, announced yesterday, are Louise Arbour, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Ramsey Clark, ex-Attorney General of the US; Carolyn Gomes, Executive Director and co-founder of Jamaicans for Justice; and Human Rights Watch.

Congolese Doctor Denis Mukwege, co-founder of the General Referral Hospital of Panzi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was awarded the prize for devoting himself for maore than 10 years to helping women and girls who are victims of sexual violence in the war-torn DRC region of South Kivu.

Dr Mukhwege has set up specialized services for their treatment and training of nurses, obstetricians and doctors so that all those who come to the hospital can be helped.

Bhutto, former Pakistan prime minister, and Dorothy Stang of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur are also being posthumously honoured.

An ardent advocate for democracy and for the human rights of the most vulnerable sections of society, particularly women, children and minority rights, Bhutto was twice elected prime minister of Pakistan. After returning to the country last year, following years in exile, Ms Bhutto was assassinated in an attack in Rawalpindi.