Today is International Human Rights day and to mark the occasion the province’s human right’s commission handed out four awards at Milwood High School.

Irene Smith is the Executive Director for the Avalon Sexual Assault Centre, an award winner in the organization category.
The centre was recognized for their work in raising awareness and education in sexual abuse, social injustice and sexism in the province.

“We need to have a provincial strategy when it comes to responding to sexualized violence,” she says.
“Currently there are very few funds in the province that’s dedicated when it comes to responding to the needs of people who have been victims of sexualized violence.”    

In the youth category students from Yarmouth High School took home an award as well for their honesty about racism. A teacher at the school Rebecca Fraser and student support worker Steve Barry were asked by the principal to raise awareness about racial discrimination. As a response a video was created with the assistance of No Glory Productions. The video featured students talking about their experiences of racism.

“It’s hard to imagine that in 2012 these stories exist,” she says. ” But they’re real and they’re honest and from the heart and we gave them a voice to share these stories.”

Jake MacDonald from Wolfville and Christine Porter of Sydney were honoured for the individual awards.
MacDonald was the President of the Annapolis Valley Chapter of the Brain Injury association for 12 years.

Christine Porter is the executive director of the AIDS Coalition of Cape Breton Sharp Advice Needle Exchange in Sydney. She took home an award for her efforts and contributions to help injection drug users, people living with mental illness and addiction.