The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been awarded the René Cassin Human Rights Award for 2024.

• The award ceremony will take place on 9 December, the eve of International Human Rights Day.

The Basque Government has presented the René Cassin 2024 Prize to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in recognition of its “unwavering commitment to the protection of international humanitarian law.” The jury would like to acknowledge and commend the recipient for their dedication to safeguarding the human rights of millions of Palestinian refugees.

The award was established in 2003 with the objective of publicly acknowledging exemplary actions in support of human rights. This year, the jury has selected UNRWA as the recipient through the Autonomous Committee of Basque Country UNRWA. Following a comprehensive review of the applications, the jury has selected the organisation for its exemplary “work in protecting millions of Palestinian refugees and ensuring access to essential services, including education, healthcare and humanitarian assistance.”

As set out in the application, “UNRWA provides effective humanitarian assistance, as well as hope for security, prosperity and dignity, to 5.9 million Palestine refugees in a region where extremism is a hallmark of daily life.” The situation currently facing UNRWA is, in fact, “unprecedented.”

The jury considers that “the organisation's work in providing schools, hospitals and shelters has enabled millions of Palestinian refugees to preserve their dignity, access development opportunities and uphold their fundamental rights, especially the right to education and health.” Furthermore, its ability to provide emergency relief during crises and disasters “has been crucial in saving lives and alleviating the suffering of those most in need.” Furthermore, it has consistently “demonstrated a strong commitment to safeguarding the civil rights and human dignity of Palestinian refugees, while also advocating for their well-being.”

In this regard, the jury highlighted that its candidacy aligns with the four criteria outlined in the call for entries for the award. These include its sustained involvement in human rights, the significance of its actions in advancing human rights values, the impact and influence of its actions in Basque society and the international arena, and the impact of its advocacy for women's rights. Considering this and “the extensive support expressed” in favour of UNWRA, the decision has been made to confer the René Cassin 2024 Prize upon them.

The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on 9 December in the Yimby Ercilla hall in Bilbao. The President Imanol Pradales will preside over the ceremony, which will also be attended by the Regional Minister of Justice and Human Rights, María Jesús San José.

René Cassin

The prize is named after René Cassin, born in Bayonne on 5 October 1887, widely regarded as the principal driving force behind the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Cassin was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1968 in recognition of his unwavering commitment to advancing human rights. The award has been presented to a number of individuals and organisations, including the Asociación Civil Abuelas Plaza de Mayo, Federico Mayor Zaragoza, Alec Reid, Koro Erdozia Lasa, Elisa Loncon Antileo, Dora María Téllez and the International Commission against the Death Penalty (ICDP), which received the award last year.

The jury comprises individuals with established reputations in coexistence and human rights. The group is comprised of Alfredo Retortillo Paniagua (Deputy Regional Minister for Human Rights, Memory and Cooperation of the Basque Government), Silvia Escobar Moreno (Spanish Minister for Human Rights and Global Diplomacy), Jon Mirena Landa (Human Rights and Public Powers Chair of the UPV/EHU), María Oianguren Idígoras (Director of Gernika Gogoratuz), Juan José Álvarez Rubio (Professor of International Law at the UPV), The following individuals were also in attendance: Miren Elgarresta (Director of Emakunde), Mikel Mancisidor (member of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights), Manuela Mesa (Director of the Centre for Education and Research for Peace, CEIPAZ), Carlos Martín Beristain (Human Rights expert, René Cassin 2020 Prize) and Jagoba Álvarez Ereño (Director of the Basque Government for Equalities, Human Rights and Victim Support).