Reebok Human Rights Award

The Reebok Human Rights Award "recognizes young activists who have made significant contributions to human rights causes through nonviolent means. The Award aims to generate positive international attention for the recipients and to support their efforts. Since 1988, more than 84 recipients from over 38 countries have received the award.

"Honorees, who are 30 years of age or younger, receive a $50,000 grant from the Reebok Human Rights Foundation to further their work. Nominees are submitted from around the world by prominent individuals in the human rights community and by non-governmental organizations. Recipients are selected by the Reebok Human Rights board of advisors."

In 1999 "Reebok's supposed improvements in foreign factories won accolades from the likes of Medea Benjamin, director of Global Exchange, a leader in that anti-sweatshop movement."

In 2002 Dita Sari rejected the opportunity to receive one of the awards. Although she did not give the speech she had planned to give the following rejection speech at the award ceremony: "I have taken this award into a very deep consideration. We finally decide not to accept this.... In Indonesia, there are five Reebok companies; 80% of the workers are women. All companies are subcontracted, often by South Korean companies.... Since the workers can only get around $1.50 a day, they then have to live in a slum area, surrounded by poor and unhealthy conditions, especially for their children. At the same time, Reebok collected millions of dollars of profit every year, directly contributed by these workers. The low pay and exploitation of the workers of Indonesia, Mexico and Vietnam are the main reasons why we will not accept this award."

"Reebok Human Rights Award recipients are selected by the Reebok Human Rights Award board of advisors. Current members include:"


 * Jimmy Carter 39th President of the United States
 * Paul Fireman - Chairman and CEO, Reebok International, Ltd.
 * Sharon Cohen - Human Rights Activits
 * Geralyn Dreyfous - Human Rights Activist
 * Peter Gabriel - Musical Artist
 * Rafer Johnson - Olympic Decathlete and President, California Special Olympics
 * Elaine Jones - Director-Counsel Emeritus, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
 * Kerry Kennedy - Founder, Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights
 * Li Lu - Alliance for a Democratic China and 1989 Reebok Human Rights Award Recipient
 * Josh Mailman - Sirius Business Corporation
 * Angel Martinez - CEO and President, Deckers Outdoor Corporation
 * Michael Posner - President, Human Rights First
 * Anthony Romero - Executive Director, American Civil Liberties Union
 * Bryan Stevenson - Executive Director Equal Justice Initiative of Alabama & 1989 Reebok Human Rights Award Recipient
 * Rose Styron - Poet/Journalist

Recipients of the Award

 * 2007
 * Laura McCargar, United States
 * Anderson Sa, Brazil
 * Iryna Toustsik, Belarus
 * Ou Virak, Cambodia
 * 2006
 * Li Dan, China
 * Rachel Lloyd, United States
 * Khurram Parvez, India
 * Otto Saki, Zimbabwe
 * 2005
 * Zarema Mukusheva, Chechnya/Russia
 * Carlos Rojas, Mexico
 * Aloysius Toe, Liberia
 * Charm Tong, Burma/Thailand
 * 2004
 * Yinka Jegede-Ekpe, Nigeria
 * Vanita Gupta, United States
 * Joenia Batista de Carvalho, Brazil
 * Ahmad Nader Nadery, Afghanistan
 * 2003
 * Pedro Anaya, United States
 * Anusuya (Oona) Chatterjee, United States
 * Mohamed Pa-Momo Fofanah, Nigeria
 * Ernest Guevara, Philippines
 * Christian Mukosa, Democratic Republic of Congo
 * 2002
 * Kavwumbu Hakachima, Zambia
 * Maili Lama, Nepal
 * Malika Asha Sanders, United States
 * 2001
 * Ndungi Githuku, Kenya
 * Heather Barr, United States
 * Kodjo Djissenou, Togo
 * Will Coley, United States
 * 1999
 * Julianna Dogbadzi, Ghana
 * Tanya Greene, United States
 * Suba Meshack, Kenya
 * Ka Hsaw Wa, Burma
 * 1998
 * Abraham Grebreyesus, Eritrea
 * Rana Husseini, Jordan
 * Van Jones, United States
 * Dydier Kamundu, Democratic Republic of Congo
 * 1996
 * Innocent Chukwuma, Nigeria
 * Jesus Tecu Osorio, Guatemala
 * Julie Su, United States
 * Ma Thida, Burma
 * Craig Kielburger, Canada
 * 1995
 * Angela Elizabeth Brown, United States
 * Miguel Angel de los Santos Cruz, Mexico
 * Richard Nsanzabaganwa, Rwanda
 * Ven. Phuntsok Nyidron, Tibet
 * Broad Meadows Middle School, United States
 * 1994
 * Adauto Alves, Brazil
 * Rose-Anne Auguste, Haiti
 * Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary, Nepal
 * Iqbal Masih, Pakistan
 * Samuel Kofi Woods, Liberia
 * 1993
 * Marie-France Botte, Belgium
 * Sia Runikui Kashinawa, Brazil
 * Hisham Mubarak, Egypt
 * Reverend Carl Washington, United States
 * 1992
 * Floribert Chebeya Bahizire, Zaire
 * Fernando de Araujo, East Timor
 * Stacy Kabat, United States
 * Martin O'Brien, Northern Ireland
 * 1991
 * Mirtala Lopez, El Salvador
 * Sauveur Pierre, United States
 * Abubacar Sultan, Mozambique
 * Carlos Toledo, Guatemala
 * Ashley Black, United States
 * 1990
 * Jeffrey Bradley and Martin Dunn, United States
 * Sha'wan Jabarin, West Bank
 * Tracye Matthews, United States
 * Akram Mayi, Iraq
 * David Moya, Cuba
 * 1989
 * Louise Benally-Crittenden, United States
 * Michael Brown, City Year, and Alan Khazei, United States
 * Li Lu, Wang Dan, Chai Ling and Wu'er Kaixi, China
 * Mercedes Doretti and Luis Fondebrider, Argentina
 * Dawat Lupung, Malaysia
 * Bryan Stevenson, United States
 * 1988
 * David Bruce, South Africa
 * Joaquin Antonio Caceres, El Salvador
 * Janet Cherry, South Africa
 * Arn Chorn-Pond, United States
 * Tanya Coke, United States
 * Lobsang Jinpa, Tibet
 * Salim Karim, South Africa
 * Winona LaDuke, United States
 * Juan Pablo Letelier, Chile
 * Maria Paz Rodriguez, United States
 * Dalee Sambo, United States

Contact

 * Web: http://www.reebok.com/Static/global/initiatives/rights/text-only/awards/

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