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Congolese nun named winner of world’s top refugee award
UNHCR Announces 2013 Nansen Refugee Award Laureate
Geneva, 17 September, 2013 – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) today announces that this year’s Nansen Refugee Prize is being awarded to
Sister Angelique Namaika, who works in the remote north east region of Democratic
Republic of the Congo with survivors of displacement and abuse by the Lord’s Resistance
Army (LRA).
Sister Angélique, through her Centre for Reintegration and Development, has helped
transform the lives of more than 2,000 women and girls who have been forced from their
homes and abused, mainly by the LRA. Many of those she helps recount stories of
abduction, forced labour, beatings, murder, rape and other human rights abuses.
Her one-on-one approach helps them recover from the trauma and damage. On top of the
abuse they have suffered, these vulnerable women and girls are often ostracized by their
own families and communities because of their ordeal.
It takes a special kind of care to help them heal and to pick up the pieces of their lives. Sister
Angélique does this by helping them learn a trade, start a small business or go back to
school. Testimonies from these women show the remarkable effect she has had on helping
turn around their lives, with many affectionately calling her “mother.”
The announcement of the 2013 Nansen prize coincides with the release of a report about life
for those displaced by LRA violence. Since 2008, an estimated 320,000 people have been
forced to flee in DRC’s northeastern province of Orientale – in some cases several times.
The report, produced by UNHCR and the IDMC (Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre),
highlights why LRA violence has created such severe and long-lasting trauma for both the
abductees and the hundreds of thousands of people still too afraid to return home.
Sister Angélique herself was displaced by the violence in 2009 while living in the town of
Dungu, in Orientale Province. She knows the pain of fleeing one’s home. It is part of what
drives her to work day in and day out to reach all those in need.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres commended this year’s laureate,
“Sister Angélique works tirelessly to help women and girls who are extremely vulnerable due
to their trauma, poverty and displacement. The challenges are massive, which makes her
work all the more remarkable – she doesn’t allow anything to stand in her way.”
Working in a location where electricity, running water and paved roads are scarce, Sister
Angélique’s work is exceptional. Although she lacks proper tools and her resources are
almost non-existent Sister Angélique does not allow herself to be deterred. She has made it
her life’s work to ease the suffering of these uprooted women and girls – to give them
renewed hope for the future.
Guterres continued, “These women’s lives have been shattered by brutal violence and
displacement. Sister Angélique has proven that even one person can make a huge
difference in the lives of families torn apart by war. She is a true humanitarian heroine.”
Responding to the announcement, the new laureate said: “It is difficult to imagine how much
the women and girls abused by the LRA have suffered. They will bear the scars of this
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violence for their whole lives. This award will mean more displaced people in Dungu can get
the help they need to restart their lives. I will never stop doing all I can to give them hope,
and the chance to live again.”
Sister Angélique will receive the Nansen Refugee Award and the Nansen Medal at a
ceremony in Geneva on September 30. The event will feature a keynote speech from bestselling author Paulo Coelho and musical performances by British singer-songwriter Dido,
Malaysian singer-songwriter Yuna and Grammy-nominated Malian musicians, Amadou and
Mariam.
Following the ceremony, Sister Angélique will travel to Rome, where she will be received at
the Vatican by Pope Francis on 2 October before proceeding to Paris, Brussels and Oslo for
other meetings.
- ENDS –
Media materials
A full media package including professional photos and video of Sister Angélique and the work she
does available at: http://unhcr.org/nansenmaterials
Contacts:
For Interviews with Sister Angélique and for queries on why she was chosen
Stephen Pattison, Pattison@unhcr.org + 41 22 739 82 75
Celine Schmitt (in DR Congo) schmittc@unhcr.org, + 243 817009484
For questions about the Nansen Refugee Award
Leigh Foster, foster@unhcr.org +41 22 739 7659
For information about the artists
Alison Tilbe tilbe@unhcr.org +44 (0) 207 759 8125
For general UNHCR media inquiries
Adrian Edwards edwards@unhcr.org +41 79 557 9120
About the Nansen Refugee Award
Established in 1954, the award recognizes extraordinary humanitarian work on behalf of refugees,
internally displaced or stateless people. The award includes a commemorative medal and a
US$100,000 monetary prize. In close consultation with UNHCR, the laureate uses the monetary prize
to fund a project that compliments their existing work.
For more information: www.unhcr.org/nansen
The Nansen Refugee Award Ceremony
The Nansen Refugee Award ceremony is the most visible element of the broader Nansen Refugee
Award programme. The ceremony acts as an advocacy platform which allows UNHCR and its
partners to raise awareness and support for the refugee cause. It not only provides a forum for
informal diplomacy among high-ranking officials, but also an opportunity to highlight the extraordinary
humanitarian work of those who go beyond the call of duty on behalf of refugees, internally displaced
or stateless people. The ceremony is underwritten by UNHCR and its partners; the Swiss and
Norwegian governments, the Norwegian Refugee Council and the IKEA Foundation. The ceremony
will be hosted by Isabelle Kumar of Euronews.