By Matters India Reporter
New Delhi, Dec 26, 2019: It is worth working for the promotion of human rights, says the winner of the first Youth Ki Awaaz (YKA) Award.
It is important to work on human rights as the lack of awareness about their rights and duties makes people unable to reach out to appropriate institutions, Shirin Shabana Khan, who received the award under the category of “Cause Champion: Human Rights” in New Delhi on December 21.
She writes many analytical articles on human rights of marginalized communities at the grassroots.
YKA is a web portal that publishes stories that grapple with tough questions and engage with some most pressing issues of the times.
Khan is the program director of Varanasi-based Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights/Jan Mitra Nyas trust.
The committee educates people about preventive measures by breaking the culture of silence and then providing direct support through multi-layered and multidimensional support.
Khan began working for human rights in 2007 after associating with the committee.
Jan Mitra Nyasis is an NGO engaged in health, nutrition and educational issues in northern India.
Speaking to Matters India, Khan said, “‘YKA Award for Human Rights’ is recognition of all the grassroots activists and members of the PVCHR family. The award will encourage other grassroots activist/social activists for writing the problem, learning and best practices.”
Speaking about the challenges she has faced as a human rights activist, Khan said, “Once I was threatened because of my religious identity. In another incident, two co-founders of my organization faced false cases.”