13 Sep 2011

GENEVA / NANSEN AWARD

The 2011 Nansen Refugee Award was given to the Society for Humanitarian Solidarity (SHS) of Yemen. The (USD) $100,000 Award recognized the 290 staff of SHS and its founder Nasser Salim Ali Al-Hamairy, for their life-saving assistance to the tens of thousands of refugees and migrants who arrive on the shores of Yemen every year after crossing the Gulf of Aden on smuggler’s boats. UNHCR

Posted at: September 13, 2011 1:30 pm

Duration: 01:50

Available in: SD

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STORY: GENEVA / NANSEN AWARD 
TRT: 1.50
SOURCE: UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 13 SEPTEMBER, GENEVA SWITZERLAND / 24, 25 AUGUST 2011, YEMEN

SHOTLIST:

RECENT / 24, 25 AUGUST 2011, YEMEN

1. Wide shot, two SHS staffs carrying a man from the sea 2. Wide shot, two SHS staff distributing food and drinks to refugees  
13 SEPTEMBER, GENEVA SWITZERLAND

3. Wide shot, press conference 4. Close up, press conference 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees:
"This organization has demonstrated an enormous courage, an enormous devotion an enormous determination it is indeed an example all over the world of how the civil society can play a dramatically important role not only in the protection of refugees but in rescuing lives and in risking their own lives to rescue the lives of others."
  RECENT / 24, 25 AUGUST 2011, YEMEN

6. Wide shot, Nasser Salim Ali Al-Hamairy in a hallway of the foundation's offices
7. Various shots, warehouse during distribution

STORYLINE

The 2011 Nansen Refugee Award was given to the Society for Humanitarian Solidarity (SHS) of Yemen. The (USD) $100,000 award recognized the 290 staff of SHS and its founder Nasser Salim Ali Al-Hamairy, for their life-saving assistance to the tens of thousands of refugees and migrants who arrive on the shores of Yemen every year after crossing the Gulf of Aden on smuggler's boats.

Desperate to escape violence, drought and poverty in the Horn of Africa, thousands of refugees and migrants put their lives in the hands of human smugglers and make the sea crossing to Yemen in crowded and often un-seaworthy boats. Some 60,000 people have made the journey so far in 2011 – that's comparable to the combined totals for the past 3 years.  Some of those who take this perilous journey are beaten or abused, arriving traumatized and ill on the Yemeni coast.   United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Gutteres made the announced today in Geneva.

He said that SHS was an example all over the world of how the civil society can play a "dramatically important" role not only in the protection of refugees but also in rescuing lives while risking their own lives to help others

SHS staff monitor about 600 kilometres of Yemen's coastline, picking up survivors, providing emergency care and, all too often, burying those who die en route.  More than 160 people were reported dead or missing in 2011.

The Nansen Refugee Award was created in 1954 in honor of Fridtjof Nansen, Norwegian polar explorer, scientist, statesman and the first High Commissioner for Refugees for the League of Nations. It is given annually to an individual or organization for outstanding work on behalf of refugees.

The Award consists of a commemorative medal and a monetary prize donated by the governments of Switzerland and Norway. The winner can donate the money to a cause of his or her choice. The Nansen Award ceremony will take place on 3 October in Geneva.