Samia El-Hashmi recognized by Franco-German Human Rights Prize
Samia El-Hashmi accepts the 2024 Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law, November 12, 2025
Leading Sudanese human rights activist Samia El-Hashmi has been awarded the 2024 Franco-German Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law. The award recognises Samia’s work to “defend and promote the rights of Sudanese women”.
Samia is the founder and director of Mutawinat, which has sought to improve access to justice and legal outcomes for women in Sudan, increase awareness of the law through training and education, and advocate for legal reform to improve the situation for women and girls. Her experience and expertise as a jurist saw her appointed by Sudan’s transitional justice to lead committees to reform the frameworks of family and trade union laws. Samia is also a founding member of the Karama network.
Accepting the prize, Samia started by honouring the memory of “all civilians who have lost their lives in this devastating war.” She noted that she had asked for the ceremony to be postponed from 2024 in the hope that the war might cease, and the award be made in Khartoum. Samia reflected that sadly that has not been the case, and that the violations carried out by the RSF in El Fasher and Bara show the conflict continues to take a horrible toll on the people of Sudan, and women in particular.
Calling for the international community to ensure accountability for grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, Samia spoke of the key role that the women of Sudan have to play.
“Sudan’s future cannot be rebuilt without the leadership of its women. Women have long been the backbone of peace efforts, community resilience, and legal reform. Investing in women is not symbolic—it is strategic. Through the full and effective implementation of the pillars of UN Security Council Resolution 1325—participation, protection, prevention, and relief & recovery—women can lead the way to sustainable peace. ”
Samia El-Hashmi accepts her award