The Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) has awarded the Sir Ron Wilson Human Rights Award to President of the Human Rights Commission, Professor Gillian Triggs, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to advancing human rights.
Following the presentation of the award at ACFID’s 2016 conference in Melbourne, President of ACFID, Sam Mostyn said: “This award acknowledges Professor Triggs’s remarkable career in human rights advocacy and her stewardship of the Australian Human Rights Commission. It recognises her tireless work on asylum seekers, detention facilities and ensuring that domestic and international attention has been brought to these issues.
“Her work to defend human rights in principle and her focus on issues such as the inquiry into children in detention has been critical. She has given voice to the most marginalized and kept human rights at the centre of public and political debate. More than ever, we need advocates like Professor Triggs.”
Professor Gillian Triggs said: “I am truly honored to have been selected by the Australian Council for International Development for the Sir Ronald Wilson Human Rights award. As a former President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Sir Ronald inquired into the ‘stolen generation’ of Aboriginal children in the Bringing them Home report – the most frequently referenced work of the Commission.
“Over the last 50 years of my career, I have tried to promote an understanding of international law both as a commercial lawyer and academic. While President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, I have learned that one of greatest threats to human rights is the failure to ensure that human rights treaties are implemented in national laws and practices. There is much work left to do.”
Following his death in 2002, the Sir Ron Wilson award was created in his honour. Sir Ron Wilson AC KBE CMG QC served as: a judge on the High Court of Australia; President of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission until 1997 and was President of ACFID between 1998 and 2001.
For further information, please contact Tim Watkin at [email protected] or on 0434 555 823.