The PGA Defender of Democracy Awards honor individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and contribution to promoting peace, democracy, the rule of law, human rights, non-discrimination and/or gender equality.

Their actions should support PGA’s vision, namely “to contribute to the creation of a rules-based international order for a more equitable, safe and democratic world.”

2017 DDA Recipients:

Ms. Lamiya Aji Bashar, A voice for Yazidi victims of genocide and mass atrocities

Ms. Emma Bonino and Don Virginio Colmegna, on behalf of ‘Ero Straniero – L’umanità che fa bene’ ‘(I was a foreigner – Humanity that does good)’

PGA is honoured to recognize Ms. Lamiya Aji Bashar with its 2017 Defender of Democracy Award. Ms. Aji Bashar is from Kocho, near Sinjar, Iraq. In August 2014, “Daesh/ISIS” militants slaughtered all the males in the village. Young women, including Aji Bashar, Nadia Murad and their sisters, were abducted and forced into sex slavery.

Aided by her family who paid local smugglers, she escaped in April 2016, suffering an injury from a land mine in the process.

Ms. Aji Bashar is now living in Germany and has become active in raising awareness of the plight of the Yazidi community in Iraq, a religious minority subjected to a genocidal campaign by the leadership of “Daesh/ISIS” and its militants, and of the situation of women afflicted by this group’s campaign of crimes against humanity, including enslavement and sexual violence.

In October 2016, she and Nadia Murad were jointly awarded the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The two women were honoured by Parliament for standing up for the persecuted Yazidi minority and the victims of sexual violence and other crimes against humanity by Daesh.

“I believe I can be a voice to the victims. More than 3,500 children and women are still held hostage as slaves under Daesh. Every day they die a thousand times,” Aji Bashar said in her acceptance speech.

PGA is honored to award the 2017 Defender of Democracy Award to two leaders of the Campaign “Ero Straniero – L’umanità che fa bene” (“I was a foreigner – Humanity that does good”). This Campaign has been conceptualized by Don Virginio Colmegna (leader and founder of the humanitarian organization Casa della Carità/House of Charity, Milano) and led by former Senator, Foreign Minister and European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid Ms. Emma Bonino.

The phenomenon of movement of individuals from developing countries, from situations of armed conflict and situations in which basic human rights are violated, to developed countries is not new. However, in Italy and other European countries, this phenomenon has led to a number of changes in society that must be addressed. In Italy, in particular, the limited integration of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in society is leading to significant conflicts. Against this complex background, a humanitarian organization of Catholic inspiration, Casa della Carità of Don Virginio Colmegna, launched the idea of a Campaign to address the problem of integration of migrants and refugees through the fulfillment of legislative reforms and policy changes that would facilitate a better culture and social environment based on fundamental human rights and democratic principles, namely:

• The affirmation of the principle of equality of all;

• The full understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity under the Rule of Law, which comprises the Constitution, the Rome Treaties of the European Union and all other relevant instruments of International Law;

• The realization of reforms that would fully respect migrants and refugees as human beings with the same dignity of European citizens, and not criminalize them.

Emma Bonino, an icon in Italian and global politics in the fight for human dignity, took a leadership position as spokesperson of the Campaign, through an appeal that has been signed by over 85,000 individuals in Italy and is continuing to receive support from all relevant humanitarian and social organizations.