Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award

Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award is an annual award presented by the Institute for Policy Studies to honor individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to the advancement of human rights in the United States and around the world, often in collaboration with organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Human Rights Watch. The award is named after Orlando Letelier, a Chilean economist and Salvador Allende's former ambassador to the United States, and Ronni Karpen Moffitt, an American activist who were both assassinated in Washington, D.C. in 1976 by agents of the Chilean secret police, DINA, during the regime of Augusto Pinochet. The award has been presented to notable individuals such as Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, and Amy Goodman, who have worked tirelessly to promote social justice and human rights in conjunction with organizations like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the International Labor Organization.

● Introduction

The Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award is a prestigious honor that recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of human rights, often in partnership with organizations like the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights. The award is presented annually by the Institute for Policy Studies, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank that has worked closely with individuals like Ralph Nader and Cornel West to promote social justice and human rights. The award has been presented to a wide range of individuals and organizations, including Nobel Peace Prize laureates like Desmond Tutu and Shirin Ebadi, as well as organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center and the American Friends Service Committee. These recipients have worked to advance human rights in countries like South Africa, Iran, and the United States, often in collaboration with international organizations like the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations Development Programme.

● History

The Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award was established in 1978, two years after the assassination of Orlando Letelier and Ronni Karpen Moffitt by agents of the Chilean secret police, DINA, during the regime of Augusto Pinochet. The award was created to honor the memory of Letelier and Moffitt, who were both dedicated to promoting human rights and social justice in the United States and around the world, often in partnership with organizations like the AFL-CIO and the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions. The first award was presented to the National Lawyers Guild, a United States-based organization that has worked to promote human rights and social justice through the legal system, in collaboration with individuals like William Kunstler and Ramsey Clark. Since then, the award has been presented to a wide range of individuals and organizations, including Medea Benjamin, Jesse Jackson, and the Center for Constitutional Rights, who have worked to advance human rights in countries like Cuba, Israel, and the Palestinian territories, often in collaboration with international organizations like the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund.

● Criteria and Selection

The Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award is presented to individuals or organizations that have made significant contributions to the advancement of human rights in the United States and around the world, often in partnership with organizations like the Ford Foundation and the Open Society Foundations. The selection criteria for the award include a demonstrated commitment to promoting human rights and social justice, as well as a record of achievement in advancing these goals, often in collaboration with individuals like Angela Davis and Cornel West. The selection process for the award is overseen by a committee of human rights experts and activists, including individuals like Ariel Dorfman and Barbara Ehrenreich, who have worked with organizations like the Human Rights Campaign and the National Organization for Women. The committee reviews nominations from around the world and selects the recipient based on their outstanding contributions to the field of human rights, often in partnership with organizations like the International Rescue Committee and the Refugees International.

● Notable Recipients

The Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award has been presented to a wide range of notable individuals and organizations, including Nobel Peace Prize laureates like Desmond Tutu and Shirin Ebadi, as well as organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center and the American Friends Service Committee. Other notable recipients include Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, and Amy Goodman, who have worked tirelessly to promote social justice and human rights in conjunction with organizations like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the International Labor Organization. The award has also been presented to individuals like Rigoberta Menchú Tum, a Guatemalan activist who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992, and Bryan Stevenson, an American lawyer who has worked to promote human rights and social justice through the legal system, in collaboration with organizations like the Equal Justice Initiative and the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.

● Impact and Legacy

The Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award has had a significant impact on the field of human rights, often in partnership with organizations like the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights. The award has helped to raise awareness about important human rights issues and has recognized the outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations working to advance these goals, often in collaboration with individuals like Ralph Nader and Cornel West. The award has also helped to promote social justice and human rights in the United States and around the world, often in partnership with organizations like the AFL-CIO and the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions. The legacy of the award continues to inspire new generations of human rights activists and advocates, including individuals like Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg, who are working to advance human rights and social justice in countries like Pakistan and Sweden, often in collaboration with international organizations like the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund.

Category:Awards for human rights