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Rangina Hamidi, the former education minister for Afghanistan, was honored with the annual O’Connor Justice Prize on Jan. 27.
The O’Connor Justice Prize was established 10 years ago to reward extraordinary people working to advance justice and uphold human rights across the globe. Past recipients include U.S. President Jimmy Carter, South African President FW De Klerk and last year’s winner Louise Arbour, a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Hamidi joins their ranks this year at the first O’Connor Justice Prize ceremony since the passing of its namesake, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
Hamidi acknowledged this in her remarks at the ceremony in Scottsdale.
“I feel a special honor because I’m the last honoree to have received this award during Justice O’Connor’s lifetime,” she said. “I feel privileged to learn that when Justice O’Connor learned about me, she concluded her remarks by saying, ‘Rangina is a woman of courage.’ While we all sense Justice O’Connor’s loss of presence tonight, I know she’s with us in spirit.” Read more . . .
ASU awards Louise Arbour for her commitment to the rule of law, human rights. Former Supreme Court of Canada Justice Louise Arbour had the honor of receiving the 2023 O’Connor Justice Prize on Jan. 28. The award, administered by the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, is inspired by the legacy of former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. It is presented to those with a lifelong commitment to the rule of law, judicial independence and human rights.
Judge Elizabeth Odio Benito, president of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, has been named the seventh recipient of the O’Connor Justice Prize. She was the first female professor at the University of Costa Rica Law School, founded the Human Rights Institute of Costa Rica and has served as the minister of justice of Costa Rica and as a judge on three international tribunals.
Judge Elizabeth Odio Benito, president of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, has been named the seventh recipient of the O’Connor Justice Prize. She was the first female professor at the University of Costa Rica Law School, founded the Human Rights Institute of Costa Rica and has served as the minister of justice of Costa Rica and as a judge on three international tribunals.
Anson Chan, known as “Hong Kong’s conscience” for her decades of devotion to social justice and democracy, has been named the fourth recipient of the annual O’Connor Justice Prize.
Former President Jimmy Carter said Friday that the U.S. should be “a champion of peace,” “human rights” and “generosity,” aspirations he said would stem worries over the country’s future.
Former President Jimmy Carter, whose three and a half decades of humanitarian work has come to define a successful post-presidency, will receive the 2017 O’Connor Justice Prize in January. The award, named for former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and administered by the law school at ASU which bears her name, is for exemplary leadership in rule-of-law initiatives. Carter’s work includes conflict mediation, election monitoring and the promotion of human rights.
A former South African judge who fought against apartheid and champions international human rights was honored with the first O’Connor Justice Prize. Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay, was presented the award at a dinner on Nov. 14, in Phoenix. The O’Connor Justice Prize was established to recognize a person who, like retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, has made extraordinary contributions to the rule of law, justice and human rights.
Arizona State University is uniquely positioned to offer a program in Rule of Law and Governance. This program designed to prepare you for jobs in the U.S. and overseas that promote justice and good governance, human rights and national and international security. This training will prepare graduates for international development and policy jobs in the public and private sectors.
If you are a member of the media working on a story, please contact law.media@asu.edu or call at 480-965-8702. If you would like more information about the O’Connor Justice Prize event, please contact Austin Prutch at 480-965-8425.