Council of Europe

2012 North-South Prize award ceremony, 21 May 2013 at the Senate Room of the Portuguese National Assembly, Lisbon
Monika Hauser and Asma Jahangir are the distinguished international personalities who were awarded with the North-South Prize this year. The Prize was handed over by the President of the Portuguese Republic, Anibal Cavaco Silva, at the official ceremony, that took place in Lisbon, on 21 May at 3:30 pm at the Senate Room of the Portuguese National Assembly, in the presence of the Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni. Speeches:
. Maria Assunção Esteves, President of the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic - welcoming words
. Deborah Bergamini, Chair of the Executive Committee of the North South Centre
. João Mota Amaral, Head of the Portuguese Delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
. Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe
. Dr Monika Hauser
. Asma Jahangir
. President of the Portuguese Republic
. Video of the Ceremony

Conference / Debate with Monika Hauser and Asma Jahangir on the theme: "Women’s rights and freedom of religion: incompatible elements?" May 20 at 6 pm in Lisbon
In the context of the XVIII Ceremony of the North-South Prize
This debate which counted with the participation of both Laureates of the North-South Prize, was moderated by Manuela Franco, Director of the Portuguese Diplomatic Institute and was held in the auditorium of the new building of the Portuguese Parliamentary Assembly on May 20 at 6 pm. Ambassador Francisco Seixas da Costa, Executive Director of the North-South Centre also intervened.
. More
. Concept Paper
. More (audio of the conference)
. Photos

The Laureates of the 2012 North-South Prize of the Council of Europe are Monika Hauser and Asma Jahangir
For the North: Monika Hauser
She is a gynaecologist and the director of the women’s aid association medica mondiale. In 1992, in the middle of the Bosnian war, she opened a therapy centre in the city of Zenica for victims of rape and war trauma. Now more than 80 Bosnian women doctors, nurses, therapists, and other professionals work there. She also founded projects for victims of "sexualised violence" in Kosovo, Albania, and Afghanistan. The organisation medica mondiale has taken on the mission of combating sexualised wartime violence and other forms of gender-specific violence against women and girls on all levels. Medical, psychosocial, legal and economic assistance is provided for affected women. In addition, medica mondiale carries out public awareness and human rights work in its project countries, Germany and internationally in order to bring about societal and political changes in favour of women.
Hauser and her colleagues have helped over 70,000 traumatised women and girls in war and post-war crisis zones in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, DR Congo, Liberia and Afghanistan. Short CV and see also medica mondiale webpage
For the South: Asma Jahangir
Asma Jilani Jahangir is a leading Pakistani lawyer, advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan and human rights activist, who works both in Pakistan and internationally to prevent the persecution of religious minorities, women, and exploitation of children. She was the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief from August 2004 to July 2010. Previously, she served as the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Arbitrary and Summary Executions. She is also chairperson of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. Asma Jahangir has spent her career defending the human and women rights, rights of religious minorities and children in Pakistan. She also was and remains a staunch critic of the Hudood Ordinance and blasphemy laws of Pakistan. Short CV
The Ceremony will take place on 21 May at the Portuguese Parliamentary Assembly.

  2011 North-South Prize Ceremony
 

General Information

. Guidelines for the Jury of the North-South Prize
. The winners

Biographies of the candidates

. 2009
. 2008
. 2007

 PUBLICATIONS

North-South Prize 2008 Publication

North-South Prize 2007 Publication