Gambian Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara and National Peace Hut Women of Liberia received the 2019 UN Population Award in a ceremony at the UN headquarters Thursday.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed conferred on the laureates the award, which consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a monetary prize for them each.
The winner for the individual category, Mamadou Tangara, the minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, was recognized for his leadership in conflict prevention and his understanding of the importance of the grass roots non-violent youth movement in the political uncertainty following the Gambian presidential election in 2016.
The secretary of the committee for the award read out the citation on his diploma: “in recognition of your courage and your leadership, through the use of diplomacy, both in the global and national arenas, which helped prevent conflict in your country, the Gambia…”
The recipient of the award’s institution category, the National Peace Hut Women of Liberia, has helped women and former child soldiers become agents of change in their communities following the country’s civil war.
The organization, founded in 2004, also provided safe spaces for survivors of gender-based violence and rape, becoming a beacon of continued hope to the people of Liberia.
The UN Population Award was established by a UN General Assembly resolution in 1981. The award is presented annually to an individual and an institution in recognition of outstanding contributions to increasing the awareness of population questions or to their solutions.
Source: Xinhua news agency
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