Global Youth Connect (GYC) announces a call for nominations for its second annual
Youth for Human Rights Award
Nomination Deadline: 9:00PM EST on September 21, 2012.
Global Youth Connect (GYC) brings together youth from around the world to share experiences and exchange ideas concerning human rights, and to take action collectively, individually, and in association with various human rights organizations.
GYC’s Youth for Human Rights Award honors young people who are exceptional human rights advocates and workers, and serves as a launch-pad for the award recipients to participate in GYC’s programming.
GYC’s first Youth for Human Rights Award honored Valentine Iribagiza (pictured at right), a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide and advocate for human rights of young people across the world.
In honor of GYC’s recent launch of the Human Rights in the USA Program, this year the Youth for Human RightsAward will be presented to a young leader from the New York City area who has worked to advance human rights in New York City.
Who is eligible to be a Youth for Human Rights Award Nominee?
This year, all nominees must be currently working and/or living in the five boroughs of New York City, be between the ages of 16 – 30, and be working to advance human rights in NYC in some way. The nominee may advance the use of human rights as a concept for social change, engage in human rights education or learning, or promote/protect individual human rights through his/her work and initiatives.
A nominee’s area(s) of focus may include, but is not limited to, access to health care, sustainable economic development, access to shelter, food security, conflict resolution, the human rights of indigenous peoples, children, LGBT persons, freedom of expression, and gender equity. Essentially, the definition of human rights in GYC’s work is broad, encompassing civil, political, economic, social, and cultural human rights. The nominee may even have his/her own definition of human rights that is different from GYC’s definition. If you have any questions about this please just contact us!
The nominee will also demonstrate maturity, integrity and credibility in selecting and using his/her human rights tools, and courage, conviction and creativity in the advancement of his/her human rights objectives!
The Award
The winner will (i) receive a full scholarship to attend the 2013 Human Rights in the USA Program in NYC, (ii) be honored at GYC’s Annual Youth for Human Rights Gala in New York City to be held on November 10, 2012, and (iii) receive $250 to be donated to the non-profit cause of his/her choice. Two runner-up candidates will receive honorable mentions at the Gala.
Procedures for Nomination
Anyone can nominate a candidate for the Award. There is no limit to the number of nominations an individual/organization can make, but no self-nominations will be accepted. Note: If you would like to be nominated for the award and feel you are a good candidate, please feel free to ask someone you know to nominate you!
The deadline for submissions of the Nomination Form is 9:00PM EST on September 21, 2012. A shortlist of three candidates will be announced on October 1, 2012 and will be invited to interview with GYC’s selection committee. The Award winner will be announced on October 15, 2012.
To download the nomination form click here: http://bit.ly/U0CXPU