The Nansen Refugee Award is awarded by the UNHCR to individuals or groups in recognition of outstanding service to the cause of refugees.
A former PWRDF partner has been awarded the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)’s Nansen Refugee Award. ). Hawa Aden Mohammed, who has worked since 1995 to ensure that girls have access to education in Somalia, will receive the award on October 1 in Geneva. PWRDF was the first organization to help Mohammed with seed money in 1997 to build a centre for peace and development that provided the only school for women and girls available in the area providing formal education, skills training and health education for 450 women and girls. In June 2001, PWRDF featured Hawa in an article on the Under the Sun in which Mohammed was quoted expressing her appreciation for the support she received from PWRDF: “[PWRDF] was the first to recognize our existence and to give us financial assistance. It is your faith in us that set the program on its feet. Through you, we were recognized by other agencies.” You can read more about Hawa and the PWRDF support here .
According to a Toronto Star article, “Mohamed was named winner of the United Nations’ 2012 Nansen Refugee Award for her ‘exceptional, tireless and inspiring humanitarian work for Somalia’s refugee and displaced girls and women, work performed under incredibly difficult and challenging circumstances in a country battered by decades of violence, conflict and human rights abuses.’”
PWRDF wishes to congratulate Hawa Aden Mohammed on her reception of this award and—more importantly—on her fantastic work to support women and girls in Somalia.