Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski emphasised the awardee’s resolve and courage and her contribution to raising the international community’s awareness of the difficulties faced by people with disabilities in war zones. The minister noted that her activism puts legal commitments into action, adding that peace, security, and humanitarian measures are unfair if they are not inclusive:

With her life and work, Nujeen Mustafa proves that people with disabilities must be seen, protected, and meaningfully included in peace processes; that women and girls with disabilities are particularly at risk, while integration is not an act of kindness but a matter of principles.

Minister Sikorski said that the remarkable story of Nujeen Mustafa’s life shows how people with disabilities are not merely passive recipients of aid.

Born in Kobanî in 1999 and raised in Aleppo, Nujeen Mustafa is a Kurdish refugee and activist from Syria who has cerebral palsy. In 2014, she fled the war-ridden country with her sister Nisreen and travelled thousands of kilometres to Germany in a wheelchair. After she was granted asylum, she engaged in public activism to promote the rights of people with disabilities and refugees.

During the award ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski said that Nujeen Mustafa’s activity contributes meaningfully to raising the international community’s awareness of the situation of people with disabilities in conflict zones:

Today, as we are witnessing the destructive Ukraine war, Nujeen Mustafa’s message is more topical than ever. Russia’s ongoing aggression has imposed a new tragic reality on thousands of Ukrainians with disabilities, who are faced with immense difficulties when trying to get to a safe place. In the spirit of Nujeen Mustafa’s values, Poland remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine, not only through political and military assistance, but also by providing shelter and specialist care to the most vulnerable, including people with disabilities fleeing the atrocities of war.

- Deputy Prime Minister Sikorski said.

Nujeen Mustafa thanked for the award, taking the opportunity to speak about the daily struggle with the adversities of wartime reality in Syria’s conflict-ridden Aleppo. She also emphasised the value of family support under such dire circumstances. 

In 2019, Nujeen Mustafa was the first-ever person with disabilities to take the floor before the UN Security Council. Her address was in regard to Resolution 2475 (2019) on the protection of persons with disabilities in armed conflicts and related humanitarian crises, which was adopted on the initiative of Poland. She also spoke in the European Parliament and at a number of international conferences, calling for fair treatment of refugees and greater accessibility of aid systems for persons with reduced mobility and other forms of disability. She co-authored The Girl from Aleppo, a book that introduces global readership to challenges faced by refugees with disabilities. In her advocacy of human rights, Nujeen Mustafa emphasises the demand for people with disabilities to be included in all humanitarian and peace-oriented measures.

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Established in 2011, the Pro Dignitate Humana Award has been presented to individuals and institutions in recognition of their special contribution to the defence of human rights, with a particular focus on the rights of persons who are persecuted or exposed to repression. It does credit to activities taken with courage, consistency, and respect for universal values, such as dignity, equality, or solidarity.

Photo: Marcin Maniewski/MFA