Human rights activist honoured

PRESIDENT Mary McAleese has urged governments to do more to protect human rights workers under threat in their own countries.

Paying tribute to the work of five human rights defenders short-listed for the annual Front Line awards, the President said that despite 60 years of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, in many parts of the world, fundamental rights were still not guaranteed.

“To be a champion of human rights is often to be very alone. That is why international support, encouragement and recognition of those who serve the cause of human rights are so essential,” she said. “While there are many achievements to look back on with pride over these past 60 years, the work that remains to be done when we look ahead is daunting, even terrifying in some circumstances.”