The names of late former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto and Dorothy Stang, a French Catholic nun were nominated for this year's human right awards. The UN General Assembly will give the human rights award posthumously to Benazir Bhutto. Besides the two women other winners include Louise Arbour of Canada, the former UN high commissioner for human rights; US lawyer Ramsey Clark; Carolyn Gomes of the Jamaicans For Justice group; and Denis Mukwege of Congo and the New York-based Human Rights Watch.

 

The UN Human Rights Award which is given after every five years recognizes individuals and organisations who contribute immensely for the promotion protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The 2008 Human Rights Award was announced by assembly president, Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann on November 26, 2008. Prominent international figures and organisations like Nelson Mandela, Amnesty International, Jimmy Carter, Eleanor Roosevelt, and the Reverend Martin Luther King Junior were the pervious recipients of the human rights awards.

 

While announcing the names of this year's awardees, Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann acknowledged the efforts and the contributions of the individuals and organisations. He said that it is because of them that the rights and freedoms of the people of the world remain secured. The 2008 human rights awards will be handed over to the recipients on December 10 which is also the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.