Eichstätt Shalom Prize awarded to Afghan human rights activist Humaira Rasuli
This year, the Shalom Working Group is awarding its Shalom Prize to the Afghan human rights activist Humaira Rasuli. She is co-founder and director of the “Women for Justice Organization”, a women-led organization that supports women and girls affected by violence, war and family conflict. The award ceremony will take place on June 14 in Eichstätt
The Women for Justice Organization is one of the few women-led organizations still active in Afghanistan. Women affected by violence receive support in counseling centers. This is also provided for medical treatments, for example. "The aim is to help women process traumatic experiences, develop new coping strategies and strengthen their mental stability", explained the working group “Shalom” in a statement published on the occasion of the upcoming International Women's Day.
Humaira Rasuli lives in exile, but continues to work closely with her team in Afghanistan and is committed internationally to ensuring that the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan remains visible. She showed great courage with her commitment, said Ulrike Schurr-Schöpfel, spokesperson for the Shalom working group. "Especially at a time when women's equality is under pressure worldwide and fundamental rights are being called into question in many places, their commitment is a powerful sign of hope and humanity."
Carmen Rocío Murillo and Marvin Castro from the organization Casa Social Cultural y Memoria in Buenaventura at the award ceremony
In addition to the new award winner, AK Shalom also announced the amount for the award presented last year: Accordingly, 32,000 euros were raised for the "Casa Social Cultural y Memoria", a peace project in Colombia. A spokesperson for the organization in Buenaventura expressed his gratitude for the support and the opportunities it provided. The donations could significantly strengthen the work of Casa Social Cultural y Memoria. The aim of the house is to promote peace building and education, offer workshops and create protective and meeting spaces, especially for young people and women. In a region characterized by armed conflict and structural violence, the Casa offers spaces for encounters, artistic expression and collective remembrance.
Among other things, regular meetings are planned with groups of around thirty people each, in which the right to cultural identity and its significance for the Afro-Colombian community will be discussed. In addition, meetings of midwives are organized at which traditional methods and the knowledge of midwives are passed on and integrated into current health practices. Other activities include communication training, radio programs and a photo exhibition to highlight the knowledge and role of midwives. The Casa Social Cultural y Memoria is also planning exhibitions and murals to raise public awareness of the culture and history of the Afro-Colombian population.
In addition, a concept for a museum has already been developed. The aim is to document the life stories of women who have experienced violence and at the same time to highlight ways of dealing with traumatic experiences. The aim is to give the affected women room for self-determination and new perspectives.
The Shalom Prize has been awarded since 1981 and is one of the most highly endowed human rights prizes in Germany. The members of the working group work on a voluntary basis. The prize money is raised exclusively from donations from private individuals and institutional supporters, including the Department of the Universal Church of the Diocese of Eichstätt, the Oswald Foundation and the Rotary Club of Eichstätt.
