Justice and Public Safety
September 19, 2017

The following is being distributed at the request of the Human Rights Commission of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Nominations Open for Human Rights Award

The Human Rights Commission of Newfoundland and Labrador would like to advise the public that nominations are now open for the annual Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Award. This award will recognize an individual who has made and/or continues to make a meaningful contribution to advancing and furthering human rights in the province.

The deadline for nominations is October 31 and details can be found online at www.thinkhumanrights.ca . The award will be presented at Government House in St. John’s at a special ceremony on December 7, in celebration of International Human Rights Day.

Last year, the Human Rights Award was presented to Mark Gruchy, a St. John’s lawyer who is a vocal advocate for those with mental health issues and for better public services. In addition to extensive professional and community experience in promoting mental health, Mark also has lived experiences of mental illness and has frequently spoken publicly about his journey. Gemma Hickey was named the 2016 Human Rights Champion. Gemma is a widely known St. John’s-based activist and up-and-coming poet. Gemma has championed many causes but is best known for co-leading the movement that legalized same-sex marriage and more recently, for walking across the island portion of the province in support of survivors of clergy abuse.

You can submit a nomination form online. However, if you would like to complete the nomination form in an alternative format, such as an interview, or have questions about the nomination process, please contact the Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Commission:

By telephone at 729-2709 or 1-800-563-5808
By email at humanrights@gov.nl.ca

Or by mail to:
Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Commission
PO Box 8700
St. John’s, NL
A1B 4J6

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Learn More
For more information on the Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Commission, please visit www.thinkhumanrights.ca . You can also follow on Twitter @nlhumanrights and by using the hashtag #nlrights.

Media contact
Carey S. Majid
Executive Director
Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Commission
709-729-4184
careymajid@gov.nl.ca

2017 09 19                              9:35 p.m.