Two Asians win U.S. Award for Global Anti-Racism Champions

Blinken with three of the Champions

WASHINGTON: Two Asian nationals, a Bangladeshi and a Nepalese, were among the six laureates worldwide hailed for winning the first annual U.S. Secretary of State’s Award for Global Anti-Racism Champions.

The six global civil society champions have “courageously advanced the human rights of members of marginalized racial, ethnic, and Indigenous communities and combatted systemic racism, discrimination, and xenophobia worldwide.”

“We wanted to make this an occasion to recognize six of these exceptional leaders, representative in so many ways of so many people who are out there every single day with extraordinary courage, extraordinary commitment, extraordinary conviction, but also, as Desirée said, truly exceptional in their own rights,” U.S. Secretary Antony J. Blinken said at the First Annual Ceremony for the Secretary of State’s Award for Global Anti-Racism Champions.

Rani Yan Yan (Bangladesh)

Rani Yan Yan, an indigenous human rights defender and women’s rights activist from Bangladesh, was recognized for bringing international attention to the plight of her community in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region of Bangladesh.

According to a statement by the U.S. State Department, Yan Yan, as a leader from the Chakma Circle, actively advocates for vulnerable populations facing government-sponsored discrimination, land grabbing, violence and the adverse effects of climate change.

“As a direct result of Yan Yan’s activism, the international community has gained new awareness of the violence committed against indigenous peoples’ communities and minority groups in Bangladesh,” the statement said.

“Throughout her career, Yan Yan has advised domestic and international organizations on climate resiliency and gender equality, researched the political participation of indigenous women, and mentored youth activists on diversity and social inclusion.  Yan Yan has emerged as a fearless voice and outspoken advocate for equal rights and justice, despite facing immense discrimination and even violence.”

Sarswati Nepali (Nepal)

Sarswati Nepali, an acclaimed social activist and President of the Dalit Society Development Forum from Nepal, was awarded for being a lifelong defender of the human rights of marginalized castes, the disabled, and the poor and a model of courage in the pursuit of dignity and human rights.

“For over twenty years, Sarswati has demonstrated sustained leadership in advancing the human rights of members of the most marginalized ethnic communities in Nepal,” the organizers said.

“Born into a Dalit – or so called “untouchable” caste – family in Nepal’s underdeveloped far-western region, Sarswati played a crucial role in Dalit social justice movements to acquire land rights, gain access to education, and obtain equal justice from the courts. Sarswati’s decades of advocacy on behalf of those in the most need and her demonstrated success in attaining justice and providing a voice to the marginalized are a model of courage in the pursuit of dignity and human rights.”

Kari Guajajara (Brazil)

The other laureates were Kari Guajajara (Brazil), a trained lawyer specializing in promoting indigenous peoples’ rights, combating gender-based violence and protecting the environment.

Oswaldo Bilbao Lobatón (Peru)

Oswaldo Bilbao Lobatón (Peru) has spent more than four decades fighting for the recognition and rights for Afro-Peruvians, one of Peru’s least visible and most disadvantaged populations.

He was part of the committee that organized the first meeting of Black communities in Peru in 1992, bringing together for the first time in its history more than 100 Afro-Peruvian representatives from around the country.

He is currently a member of the International Coalition for the Defense, Conservation, Protection of Territories, Environment, Land Use, and Climate Change of Afro-descendant Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Saadia Mosbah (Tunisia)

Saadia Mosbah, a Tunisian activist, has dedicated her life to fighting racial discrimination and prejudice, as well as defending the rights of Black Tunisians.

“In 2013, she established Mnemty, ‘My Dream,’ an association that endeavors to raise awareness about the value of diversity and importance of equality, to denounce racism in public spaces, ensure legal protection for all, elevate the profile of the Black population in the cultural sphere, and promote socio-economic development in predominantly black communities,” the statement said.

“Saadia’s activism, alongside that of several human rights activists, contributed to the adoption of the law in Tunisia criminalizing racial discrimination on October 9, 2018.   For Mosbah, the law is an achievement, but incomplete, as it lacks a universal declaration that denounces all forms of discrimination irrespective of religion, language, or skin color.”

Victorina Luca (Moldova)

Victorina Luca (Moldova) is a human rights lawyer and founder of the Roma Awareness Foundation.

She has been a champion of racial equity in Moldova for more than 15 years.

She has lent her expertise to international organizations, including the United Nations, World Bank, and Council of Europe, as an expert in the inclusion of marginalized people.

Victorina operates Radio Patrin Moldova, which broadcasts the proud language and culture of Moldovan Roma to audiences all over the world.  She has studied at the Free University of Moldova, Sweden’s Lund University, and Central European University.  She speaks Romani, Romanian, Russian, and English.

Desirée Cormier Smith

U.S. State Department’s first-ever special representative for racial equity and justice Desirée Cormier Smith said the award seeks to “acknowledge, honor, and support the tireless advocates who fight against the structural racism, the pervasive discrimination, the rampant xenophobia that impedes the members of their communities from enjoying their basic human rights.”