Archbishop Desmond Tutu nominates DanChurchAid for humanitarian prize

Where we work

Guatemala

Our work here focuses on agricultural development, disaster prevention and relief aid, human rights and strengthening the legal system.

Sudan

Among other things, our work here includes mine clearance, protecting the civilian population and relief aid in Darfur.

India

Here we work with fighting hunger and poverty, disaster preparedness, democracy, rights and the caste system.

Angola

Our work here focuses on clearing areas of landmines and unexploded ammunition as well as mine risk education.

Congo (DCR)

Our work here focuses on demining, fighting hunger and helping women who are victims of violence.

Ethiopia

Our work here focuses on disaster risk reduction, equal rights for men and women, strengthening civil society and fighting hunger, HIV and AIDS.

Malawi

Our work here focuses on the prevention of HIV and AIDS, food security and women’s rights.

Uganda

Our work here focuses on agriculture, disaster preparedness, combating HIV and AIDS and supporting a democratic development.

Zambia

Our work here focuses on women’s right to participate, fighting poverty, HIV and AIDS, climate change adaption and democracy.

Bangladesh

Our work here focuses on disaster preparedness, climate changes, democracy, women’s rights and protecting migrants.

Burma/Myanmar

Our work here focuses on empowering civil society, development and education, emergency relief aid and supporting refugees.

Cambodia

Our work here includes, among other things, fighting hunger, HIV/AIDS, supporting women’s rights and climate change adaption.

Nepal

Our work here focuses on democracy and rights, disaster preparedness, disaster risk reduction and safe migration.

Pakistan

Our work here focuses on relief aid, health care, medicine and reconstruction following the floods.

Haiti

Here our work focuses on rebuilding schools and helping the rural poor with income generating activities after the violent earthquake in 2010.

Honduras

Our work here focuses on agricultural development, disaster preparedness, climate change adaption, human rights and democracy.

West Bank/Gaza

Our work here focuses on relief aid, women’s rights and improving the Palestinian population’s living conditions.

Kazakhstan

Our work here focuses on supporting the poor that travel from town to town on foot. We establish self-help groups and influence laws and procedures.

Kyrgyzstan

Our work here focuses on supporting poor immigrant families, education for marginalised children and young people and self-help groups for the elderly.

Lebanon

Our work here focuses on clearing cluster bombs, neutralising mines and enabling the population to manage on their own.

DanChurchAid believes

Henrik Stubkjær, Secretary General

"Hunger is an inevitable consequence of poverty. Hunger is the most grotesque example of inequity in the world. DCA is fighting hunger with all of the means we have, both in the short and longer term."

Tutu nominates DanChurchAid

Archbishop Desmond Tutu nominates DanChurchAid for the Hilton Humanitarian Prize. The nomination is backed by the 10 bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark and former Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Uffe Elleman-Jensen

05.11.2008

Foto: Klaus Holsting

Archbishop Tutu gives a personal motivation in his opening remarks on the nomination:

“I have known and worked with DanChurchAid for more than 30 years, it’s work agains apartheid in South Africa and against caste-based discrimination is highly recommendable.

During the dark and difficult years of Apartheid the people of DanChurchAid were true friends to us, fighting alongside us for humanity, justice and freedom,” says Archbishop Tutu.

Archbishop Tutu describes DanChurchAid’s key fields of activity:

Fighting for democracy in Africa
Fighting for peace and human rights in ie Central America and the West Bank/Gaza
Fighting for and with the ‘untouchables’ - the dalits
Fighting for the victims of the Darfur Crisis
Coordinating the world’s greatest humanitarian air-lift, Joint Church Aid to Biafra
Fighting HIV/AIDS
Providing Humanitarian Mine Action in many countries in Africa, Lebanon and the Balkans

Archbishop Tutu ends his motivation by stating, that “DanChurchAid has a long record of siding with the voiceless people in the world, and being innovative. It also has a record of staying with the people in need for many years.”

Engagement in Eastern Europe

Former Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Uffe Elleman-Jensen, highlights “DanChurchAid’s involvement with oppressed and marginalised people in Eastern Europe during the Cold War and later during the Balkan Wars.

Uffe Elllemann-Jensen specifically mentions DanChurchAid’s work to strengthen democracy and human right for i.e. the Roma population.

DanChurchAid honoured

“It is a great honour for DanChurchAid that Archbishop Desmond Tutu has chosen to nominate us for the Hilton Humanitarian Prize.

We are very proud that Archbishop Tutu by this nomination recognises our work for democracy and human rights, which always have and always will play a central role in the work of DanChurchAid,” says Henrik Stubkjær, Secretary General of DanChurchAid.

The Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize is the largest humanitarian award in the world. It annually awards $US 1.5 million, equal to one of the six Nobel Prizes.

Once, in 2003, the Hilton Humanitarian Prize has been given to a Danish organisation; The Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims.