Sumaiya Islam wins Franco-German award for human rights

Human rights defender and Executive Director of Bangladesh Nari Sramik Kendra (BNSK), Sumaiya Islam, has received the 2025 Franco-German Award for Human Rights and the Rule of Law.

Ambassadors of France and Germany to Bangladesh, Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet and Dr Rüdiger Lotz, presented the award to Sumaiya Islam during a special ceremony held on Wednesday at the Franco-German Embassy in Dhaka, marking International Human Rights Day.

Since 2016, France and Germany have jointly honoured individuals around the world on International Human Rights Day for extraordinary contributions to protecting fundamental rights and freedoms. This year, Sumaiya Islam has been recognised for her long-standing commitment to advancing the rights of women, particularly migrant workers, sex workers, transgender individuals and other socially and economically marginalised groups.

As a dedicated civil society leader, Sumaiya Islam has worked for more than two decades with grassroots organisations including BNSK and BOMSA, which advocate for women migrant workers’ rights. With this experience, she now contributes to several regional civil society networks. She also served as a member of the Women’s Affairs Reform Commission under Bangladesh’s interim government. Her advocacy and active role in policymaking have been instrumental in major legal reforms that strengthened protections for Bangladeshi female migrant workers. She continues to amplify the voices of women who often remain unheard, becoming an inspiration for many marginalised women.

Receiving the award, Sumaiya Islam said, “It is a great honour, and I am truly grateful and deeply happy to receive this Franco-German Human Rights Prize. Since 1987, I have been engaged in activism, campaigns and advocacy, and later established a full-fledged civil society organisation in Bangladesh to uphold human rights. This recognition will further strengthen my work and that of BNSK, and help advance our initiatives to protect and promote the rights of women migrant workers globally.”

At the event, French Ambassador Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet said, “Today, December 10, France celebrates the universality of human rights, proclaimed in the 1948 Declaration adopted in Paris, as well as the final day of the 16 Days of Activism against sexual and gender-based violence. The timeline clearly shows that without women’s rights, there are no human rights. France congratulates Sumaiya Islam for receiving the 2025 Franco-German Award and hopes that her commitment will inspire many across Bangladesh and the world to uphold human rights and advance gender equality.”

German Ambassador Dr Rüdiger Lotz said, “We are deeply pleased that this year’s Franco-German Prize honours a Bangladeshi activist whose work reflects courage and commitment found in communities across the country. Grassroots defenders are essential for ensuring rights, accountability and amplifying the voices of those who are often unheard. Germany and France remain steadfast in supporting those who work to uphold human dignity every day. We warmly congratulate the Bangladeshi laureate on this well-deserved recognition.”

Previously, the award was presented in 2017 to Adilur Rahman Khan, founder of Odhikar. He was the second Bangladeshi recipient, following Tahmina Rahman of Article 19 in 2016.