Amina Bouayach, the President of Morocco’s National Council for Human Rights (CNDH), received the North-South Center of the Council of Europe’s “North-South Prize” yesterday for her significant contributions to the promotion of human rights, gender equality, and the prevention of torture, according to a press release issued by CNDH.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Portuguese Republic, and José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, President of the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic, presented the award to Bouayach at Portugal’s Parliament in Lisbon.
President Rebelo de Sousa said that the prize is a recognition of Bouayach’s “tireless advocacy of human rights both at home and abroad, and her dedication to the promotion of women’s rights, gender equality, and democracy.”
He pledged to continue upholding democracy and human dignity, in the face of threats made against these values all over the world, including on the European continent. “We can all contribute to a better world, so we should not miss this opportunity. It is more than an appeal this time, it is a life mission,” he urged.
Upon receiving the award, Bouayach said, “The honor you bestow upon me today is not merely a recognition of my efforts in defending human rights, but, I believe, a testament to the substantial progress made by my country in promoting dignity and freedom.”
In addition to being the first Moroccan woman to receive this prize, Bouayach is only the third Moroccan ever to receive the award. The first two were the late Abderrahmane El Youssoufi, former Head of the Moroccan government who received the prize in 1999, and André Azoulay, advisor to King Mohammed VI, who received it in 2014.
A host of arts, media, and business representatives attended the event.
The North-South Prize has been awarded to a number of distinguished individuals, including heads of state and senior officials such as Jorge Sampaio, former President of Portugal and the UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations; Queen Rania of Jordan; Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the 35th President of Brazil; Boris Tadić, former President of the Republic of Serbia; and Mary Robinson, the former President of Ireland.
The prize has been presented annually since 1995 to two individuals, organizations, or activists who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to promoting North-South solidarity.