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| Awards 2005 |
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Tostan receives the second Anna Lindh Award Download press release The 2005 Anna Lindh Award has been presented to the international organisation Tostan, based in Senegal. The award, instituted by the Anna Lindh Memorial Fund and handed out for the second time, amounts to 250.000 SEK. ”The money, says Molly Melching, director of Tostan, “will be divided between women’s village projects and the Anna Lindh Association in the Matam province, Senegal.” - The recipient of this years Anna Lindh Award is an amazing example of how others continue to work in the spirit of Anna Lindh,” says Ingvar Carlsson, Committee Chairman of The Anna Lindh Memorial Fund and former Prime Minister of Sweden. The Committee’s citation articulates the reasons behind their choice: ” TOSTAN’s revolutionary work has given Senegalese women the confidence and the tools to question and challenge destructive social conventions. While maintaining respect for local traditions and values, the organisation has empowered women to lead the struggle for an improved quality of life.” Tostan is an international organisation founded in Senegal in 1991. The name signifies “breakthrough” in Wolof, the dominant language of the country, and the organisation’s goal is women’s social, political and economic empowerment. The abandonment of female genital cutting is perhaps the most visible and striking result of the Tostan program. 1,527 villages have already made public declarations announcing that they will abandon the tradition of female genital cutting and child marriages. This, however, is only one example of how people’s lives have been transformed. With an increased knowledge about health, democracy and human rights, women are empowered to take an active part in the personal, social, political and economic spheres of their societies. They are trained in conflict-management, given the opportunity to develop income-bringing activities and come to understand the importance of education. With the vision and possibility of an improved life, families are not forced to send their children away and subjecting them to the risk of forced labour and human traffickers. A tribute to Anna Lindh Little more than a month after the murder in Stockholm, a ceremony was held in the Matam region, northern Senegal. 13 villages declared the abandonment of female genital cutting and early and forced marriage and paid their tribute to Anna Lindh, a dedicated defender of human rights. They declared: ”We feel solidarity with Sweden.” ”As she did, we will defend human rights.” ”We share the same vision.” A year ago, the Anna Lindh Association was founded in Matam as a result of the Tostan non-formal education program. Through awareness raising activities, education, healthcare and non-formal discussions, remarkable results have been accomplished. In a year’s time, the movement has grown from seven to twenty-seven villages and impressive changes and improvements have been observed. As a tribute, the women in the association have decided to name one child in each family after Anna Lindh. Additional Awards Beside the main Anna Lindh Award, a further three development awards, each worth 25 000 SEK, have been awarded to: Elektra Committee citation: Elektra demonstrates political courage and creativity by finding new paths in the struggle against one of our times most complex and infectious issues: honour-related violence. With every person’s equal value and rights as a starting-point, Elektra enters the debate on oppression, culture and social conventions in an unconventional and constructive manner. The purpose is to include, not to exclude, and to dare not just to talk but to do. Push Up Committee citation:Through creativity, inspiration and political drive, Push Up has indicated new paths for a feministic engagement. With an open and allowing approach, Push Up demonstrates that with courage and determination, one can influence and change. In their hands, the combination of politics and culture gains new potency. Woman in the World Committee citation: Through the centuries women have been made invisible to the benefit of the great men’s history. With a personal commitment, the ambitious life-project “Woman in the World” contributes to the challenge of a distorted formulation of history. The project aspires to the illustration of women’s rightful and evident participation in society. Further information Tostan: www.tostan.org Information on Tostan Elektra: www.elektra.nu Push Up: www.musikpagotland.org/roxy/pushup/ Woman in the World: www.fly.to/powerwoman The Anna Lindh Memorial Fund website features high-resolution pictures of the nominees and the awards ceremony for free usage. |
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