The Women's Human Rights Activities Award or Yayori Award comes from the estate of Yayori Matsui, who was a journalist and activist with global perspectives and who consistently spoke up for women and marginalised people. This award, given by the Women's Fund for Peace and Human Rights, has been created for grassroots women activists, especially young women, in Asia or other areas, who are steadily struggling for the human rights of women. The Yayori Award focuses on women activists, journalists, and artists (individuals or groups) who work at the grassroots level with socially marginalised peoples in order to create a 21st century free from war and discrimination against women. An individual or a group from the Asian region will be selected and awarded Japanese ¥500,000.

Individuals and groups with nominees in mind are encouraged to submit recommendations for any and all appropriate candidates through the submission of a nomination form and all applicable references. Self-nominations are not accepted. The reference material that is submitted will not be returned.

Click here for access to an application form in MS Word format or in PDF format or contact the Committee for the Yayori Award at the email address in the contact information below.

Click here to see winners of previous awards.

Email from Mikiko Ishihara to The Communication Initiative on June 1 2009; and the Yayori Award website.