Three outstanding lawyers dedicated to human rights and the public interest were recognised at the International Bar Association's annual conference in Copenhagen today.
The IBA Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Legal Practitioner to Human Rights, the IBA Outstanding Young Lawyer Award and the IBA Pro Bono Award were presented at the IBA Section on Public and Professional Interest's Annual SPPI Awards breakfast on Thursday morning.
Zar Li Aye received the human rights award for her work defending Myanmar’s Chin indigenous community. She was praised for her dedication to defending human rights, advocating for access to justice for marginalised groups and bringing about systemic legal reform in the country.
She said: “Because of my work defending people and human rights in Myanmar, I eventually had to leave my own country. But leaving Myanmar did not mean leaving behind my commitment to its people. From exile, I continue to support lawyers and work towards justice for Myanmar.”
Charmaine Yap, from Singapore, won the young lawyer award, with the committee citing her commitment to using the law in the service of justice for vulnerable communities and her remarkable professional and academic excellence.
“Beyond outstanding individuals, what our times call for are movements against the relentless, habitual unfairness of the world,” she said. “Movements start with individuals deciding that what exists is not what ought to exist. This will take imagination, but I believe lawyers are imaginative people.”
Yusuf Temilola Nurudeen, winner of the pro bono award, was singled out for his exceptional and sustained commitment to securing access to justice in Nigeria.
In his acceptance speech, the founder of the Lagos-based Foundation for Public Interest Law and Development paid tribute to the pro bono centre’s volunteers.
“This award does not belong to me alone. I dedicate it to our 141 remarkable volunteer lawyers across 18 states in Nigeria at the Foundation for Public Interest Law and Development (The Pro Bono Centre), who continually give their time, knowledge and resources without expectation of financial reward.”
The awards are organised by the IBA's Human Rights Law Committee, Young Lawyers' Committee and Pro Bono Committee respectively.
The Global Legal Post is the official publisher of the IBA Daily News at the IBA Annual Conference in Copenhagen. Follow our coverage for the latest news, interviews and insights from the conference. Click here to download a PDF version of Thursday’s issue.
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