Montréal – The call for nominations of the 2017 Rights and Freedoms Award, dedicated to the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and presented by the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse, is now open.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Commission has chosen to dedicate its 2017 Rights and Freedoms Award to Indigenous peoples’ rights. In recognition of the work and initiatives of the eleven Aboriginal nations in Québec, twelve awards will be presented this year, one per nation and one multination award.
“In view of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Commission considers timely to highlight this anniversary. This is why the theme chosen for the 29th edition of the Rights and Freedoms Award is Indigenous peoples’ rights,” said today the President of the Commission, Tamara Thermitus.
The Commission is proud to present the members of the jury: Ghislain Picard, Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador, Viviane Michel, President of Quebec Native Women, Alexandre Bacon, cofounder of Cercle KISIS, Béatrice Vaugrante, Executive Director of Amnistie internationale Canada francophone and Tamara Thermitus, President of the Commission.
The Award will be given out to initiatives that promoted the recognition and respect of Indigenous peoples’ rights throughout Québec over the past decade. These initiatives could include community, educational, activist and artistic or other types of projects, or the work done by a group or an individual. Awards will be given out, among others, to initiatives that are not well-known to the public so they can be better known.
How to submit a nomination
Any individual or organization looking to submit a nomination must complete an application which is available onlinehttp://www.cdpdj.qc.ca/en/commission/services/Pages/pdl.aspx
The Commission accepts nominations submitted by e-mail or regular mail until September 22, 2017 at 5 p.m.
Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse
c/o Meissoon Azzaria
360, rue Saint-Jacques 2e étage
Montréal (Québec) H2Y 1P5
@prixdroitsetlibertes@cdpdj.qc.ca
Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (Human Rights and Youth Commission) ensures the promotion and respect of the principles set out in the Québec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. It also ensures that the interests of children are protected and that their rights recognized in the Youth Protection Act are respected and promoted. In addition, the Commission oversees compliance with the Act respecting Equal Access to Employment in Public Bodies.