The Vera Chirwa Award was instituted in 2006 on the occasion of the Centre being awarded the UNESCO Prize.
The Vera Chirwa Prize was instituted for the alumnus or alumna of the LLM/MPhil in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa who best embodied the principles of the programme in his or her subsequent career by “making a difference” to the protection of human rights or the strengthening of democratisation in Africa.
Vera Chirwa Award Winners
Horace Adjolohoun
Head of the Legal Division - African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights
Class of 2013
Ayalew Getachew
Acting Executive Secretary - African Children’s Committee
Class of 2011
Abiola Idowu-Ojo
Executive Secretary - African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
Class of 2003
Ms Roselyn Hanzi
Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 | 2001
Musu Bakoto Sawo
The Gambia 🇬🇲 | 2017
Dr Patrick Eba
Cameroon 🇨🇲 | 2016
Prof Christopher Mbazira
Uganda 🇺🇬 | 2015
Ms Leda Hasila Limann
Ghana 🇬🇭 | 2014
Professor Lilian Chenwi
Cameroon 🇨🇲 | 2012
Ms Monica Mbaru
Kenya 🇰🇪 | 2012
Thulani Maseko
Swaziland 🇸🇿 | 2011
Mr Yoseph Mulugeta
Ethiopia 🇪🇹 | 2010
Mr Gabriel Shumba
Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 | 2009
Mr Julius Osega
Uganda 🇺🇬 | (Posthumously)
Ms Nana Oye Lithur
Ghana 🇬🇭 | 2007
Mr Melron Nicol-Wilson
Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 | 2006
To be considered for this award, subsequent to obtaining the degree LLM/MPhil in Human Rights and Democratisation in Africa, the candidate must have demonstrated:
- Dedicated human rights activism;
- Leadership in the field of human rights and democratisation affecting Africa and Africans;
- A contribution to a specific human rights cause or causes;
- Commitment to improving the lives of people everywhere in Africa.