Zubair Qureshi
Ambassador-designate of France in Pakistan Nicolas Galey at a small but graceful ceremony presented the French Republic’s Human Rights award ‘Liberty, Equality, Fraternity’ to Lahore-based rights activist Mary Jamels Gill for her outstanding work highlighting the plight of the sanitation workers.
The event held at the embassy of France also brought to light the soul-stirring study titled “Shame and Stigma in Sanitation” carried out by Mary James Gill who is Executive Director of the Centre for Law & Justice (CL J) and her team.
While presenting the award to Ms Gill, the ambassador-designate expressed his pleasure and said, “I feel privileged to meet a dedicated HR advocate who has a tremendous commitment in favour of the inclusion of sewers and waste workers in Pakistani society, who are predominantly from the Christian minority.”
By this prize, France acknowledges visibility through Pakistan’s first advocacy campaign “Sweepers Are Superheroes,” which aims to raise awareness of sewer and waste workers’ dignity that she has initiated and carried out. The ceremony was broadcast live in four other countries —South Africa, India, Niger and Madagascar— as HR defenders in these countries were also given the French awards.
While addressing online, Chairman of the Commission Nationale Consultative Des Droits De L’homme (CNCDH) Jean-Marie Burguburu felicitated Ms Gill saying he felt honoured to address the ceremony.
In her speech, Ms Gill expressed her gratitude to the French government for the award. It is very important to understand who these people (sweepers) are, she said, adding, in Pakistani society, unfortunately, sanitation work is stigmatized and considered shameful.
They collect our garbage without proper security equipment compromising their dignity.
Sanitation workers face challenges in occupational safety, health and employment security that result in their death and disease without appropriate wages, according to the research study by the CLJ.
