Irene Fernandez wins Swedish award

The Malay Mail

Irene Fernandez wins Swedish award

Director of Tenaganita, Irene Fernandez, wins Swedish award and is honoured by her friends, writes MEERA MURUGESAN

“HUMAN rights is not a dirty word,” says Irene Fernandez.

It is in fact something that gives a person his or her dignity stresses the director of Tenaganita.Fernandez, a well known figure in championing the rights of women and migrant workers, was speaking at a tea reception held in her honour at the Royal Selangor Club, Kuala Lumpur, last month.

The event was organised by friends and fellow activists to honour her for being selected as a recipient of the Right Livelihood Award.The award, dubbed the alternative “Nobel” is awarded for promoting justice, fair trade and cultural renewal.Fernandez was selected for her efforts to stop violence against women and the abuse of migrant workers.

She will receive the award from Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf in a ceremony at the Swedish Parliament on Friday, a day before the Nobel Prizes are handed out.

She will share the US$256,320 (about RM974,016) cash prize that comes with the award with two other recipients, Canadian activists Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke, and a group representing Kalahari Bushmen.

“The award is very inspiring to us because it brings global recognition for our struggle and global acceptance of what we are which is quite often denied,” says Fernandez.In her speech, the 59-year-old activist said Malaysia must move on its agenda of human rights. Human rights gives a person dignity and therefore it has to happen, she stresses.

Otherwise, there will be a backlash on the country and on our own lives as well.“Malaysia still has a long way to go in terms of human rights although there are signals that the Prime Minister is taking more interest in such issues,” she says.But there are still many things to address.

The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), for example, should be an independent body answerable directly to Parliament, says Fernandez.“The recommendations of the Royal Police Commission haven’t been seriously addressed either and we are also taking a lackadaisical attitude where police accountability is concerned,” she adds.

“We are also far off in terms of addressing the rights of migrant workers in the country and detention without trial shouldn’t exist,” says Fernandez.

In describing her journey as an activist at the reception, Fernandez also stressed the importance of never compromising on human rights or the dignity of a person no matter who he or she is.

“It is this believe within Tenaganita and me personally, which has helped me, particularly in the years since I released the memorandum on the abuse, torture and dehumanisation of migrant workers in Malaysia,” she says.When she goes to receive her award at the Swedish Parliament, Fernandez says it will really be to tell the world that we cannot have inequality.

That and the fact that we have to forge solidarity and work regionally and globally in order to bring change.