KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — Prominent activist Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan was conferred with the UN Award 2018 today in recognition of her contribution to UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Ambiga is the co-chair of the Coalition for Free and Fair Elections and was previously chairman of the Bersih 2.0 electoral reforms group.
In March 2009, Ambiga received the US Secretary of State Award for International Women of Courage 2009. In September 2011 she was conferred the Chevalier de Legion d’ Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by the French government.
She was the president of the Malaysia Bar from March 2007 to March 2009.
Last month, Ambiga was also appointed as the chairman of The Malay Mail Care Fund.
The other recipients of the award today were MyKasih Foundation and National Ozone Unit of the Department of Environment.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong, who officiated the event, gave out the awards
The award honours the outstanding contributions of individuals and organisations that embody the underlying principles of Agenda 2030 in three categories which are human rights and governance, leaving no one behind and environmental sustainability.
“Human rights and SDGs are to sides of the same coin.
“The SDGs provide the targets, planning and monitoring mechanisms while human rights arms us with the minimum standards, safeguards and legal backup to ensure that everybody benefits from the fruits of development,” said Stefan Priesner, United Nations resident coordinator in Malaysia.
The UN day celebrated today to commemorate the founding of the UN was attended by Ambassadors, High Commissioners and representatives of various diplomatic missions in Malaysia as well as senior government officials and civil society representatives.
