U of M professor honoured with Human Rights Award

Five Manitobans including a U of M professor will be honoured today with Human Rights Awards. Joan Durrant, professor of family social sciences, Faculty of Human Ecology, and adjunct professor, Arthur V. Mauro Center for Peace and Justice, is one of the recipients of the award.

The Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties, the Canadian Human Rights Commission and the Manitoba Human Rights Commission have announced the recipients of the 2013 Human Rights Awards. These awards are given out every year in celebration of International Human Rights Day.

The Annual Human Rights Commitment Award of Manitoba recognizes those who have promoted respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and have advanced the rights of Manitobans.

The Recipients of the 2013 Human Rights Commitment Award of Manitoba are:

• Joan Durrant, professor of family social sciences, University of Manitoba
• Betty Hopkins, chair of the Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF)
• The Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities (MLPD), celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2014, the advocacy organization has always believed that Manitobans with disabilities have the same right as anyone to enjoy a full meaningful life.

The Annual Sybil Shack Human Rights Youth Award recognizes the work of a person or group of people, 25 years old and under that has had an impact on the advancement of human rights as guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and human rights legislation in Manitoba.

The recipients of the Sybil Shack Human Rights Youth award for 2013 are:

• Megan Fultz University of Winnipeg Students’ Association President
• Gray Academy of Jewish Education Student’ Gay Straight Alliance Group

The award reception in honour of this year’s recipients will take place on December 10 at the Union Centre 206-275 Broadway, Winnipeg from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Visit the Manitoba Human Rights Commission’s website for tickets. The event is free and light refreshments will be served.

From the citation:

Dr. Joan Durrant, professor of family social sciences, Faculty of Human Ecology, works tirelessly to help parents and all who work with children to view children as full human beings with fundamental human rights. She focuses on the “everyday” violence that children suffer in the name of punishment. Dr. Durant is making a change in Manitoba and around the world by promoting children’s right to protection from violence, and to discipline that respects their voices and dignity.