Every Human Has Rights Media Awards

Kofi Annan smiled at me while I was standing next to him, sipping champagne. This brief moment made me feel so privileged, and yet, so insignificant at the same time. What do you say to a man who was the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, as well as a Nobel Peace Prize winner? Saying nothing, I simply smiled back.

On Saturday 6th December, I found myself in the same room as former Irish president Mary Robinson, former American president Jimmy Carter, business entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, French ambassador for human rights François Zimeray, honorary French ambassador Stéphane Hessel - who was a participant at the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 - and a multitude of other Extremely Important People.

We were there for the Every Human Has Rights Media Awards in Paris, organised by Internews Europe and in partnership with the incredibly influential group, The Elders. Journalists and human rights advocates from around the world gathered to celebrate 30 winning reports, with 6 of them receiving a special mention:

• Al Rabih Ould Edum (Mauritania) - The Youngest Mauritanian Divorcee
• Rodrigo Tornero (Argentina) - It's My Body
• Mario Magalhães & Joel Silva (Brazil) - The Anti-Heroes - The Underworld of Sugarcane
• Michael Duffy (Australia) - Nike Human Rights Investigation
• Anas Aremeway Anas & Mary Fianko Akuffo (Ghana) - Human for sale 'Dons' exposed
• Ben Fundis, Clara Long & John Drew (United States of America) - Border Stories

One of the winners, a 26 year-old Arabian journalist, was unable to attend the event. Because she was a woman, she needed her father's permission to travel. Her absence was a sombre reminder that despite the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of apartheid, inequality still exists in so many parts of the world.

As long as journalists continue to exercise the right to freedom of expression, they give voice to those who cannot be heard. "All the rights enshrined in the Declaration hinge on the realisation of free expression," said George Papagiannis from UNESCO. "A free and independent press makes governments accountable." Statistics from Reporters Without Borders indicate that 87 journalists died last year, while 43 have been killed so far this year. 128 journalists and 68 cyberdissidents have been imprisoned since 1st January 2008.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the most translated document in the world, born out of the horrors of World War II, Hiroshima and the Holocaust. It offers a vision and hope for a shared humanity, but 60 years on, it still requires action. "C'est le moment où il faut s'engager," warned Stéphane Hessel who received a standing ovation for his speech. We must seize the moment.

Although the United States played a major role in the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, their influence has waned over the past few years. Jimmy Carter told the audience that while 177 countries believed that the right to food was a human right, the United States have not yet signed this agreement. "Obama has a long way to go," said Carter, recognising that times will be tough. Only 29% of Americans are in favour of closing Guantanamo, according to a recent public opinion poll. "Obama is going to need a lot of help from people like me," continued Carter, "and those who have never served in public office." The most important thing was for individuals to realise their obligation "to become deeply and personally involved in the same kind of crusade that existed 60 years ago."

I joined two student groups at my first high school nearly 15 years ago: Amnesty International and St Vincent de Paul. As part of my involvement, I took canned food from my mum's kitchen pantry in order to give them to homeless people. I also made my mum buy aerograms so that I could write letters to governments, asking them to free persecuted individuals. At the time (I was 12), I didn't understand the complexity of social justice and human rights issues. All I knew was that I wanted to help make the world a better place.

While these little actions seem so insignificant when compared to the work of everyone else at the Every Human Has Rights Media Awards, it made a difference to the individuals we were helping. I know more about the world than I did 15 years ago, but the complexity remains. The main thing is to keep believing in humanity and the need to work together.

In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt:

Where after all do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any map of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person: The neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.

Winning reports from the Every Human Has Rights Media Awards can be viewed here.