Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Four Pacific Islanders get human rights awards

Posted at 03:32 on 08 December, 2008 UTC

Four Pacific Islanders have been honoured with human rights awards to mark the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Papua New Guinea’s Cabinet Minister, Dame Carol Kidu, won the overall award for her outstanding contribution to promoting the rights of Pacific Islanders.

Setareki Macanawai of the Pacific Disability Forum and Andonia Piau-Lynch of the Vanuatu Disability Promotion and Advocacy Association received special citations for advancing the rights of persons with disabilities.

And Lynnsay Rongokea-Francis, a Cook Islander currently working with the Asia Pacific Forum for Women, Law and Development, received special recognition for her long-standing support for the rights of women.

Organised by the Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team the awards were presented in a ceremony in Suva last Friday by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Secretary General Tuiloma Neroni Slade and International Human Rights Officer Tanya Smith of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.