Nighat Dad Nominated for Dutch Human Rights Tulip Award 2016

Nighat Dad, Pakistani Digital Rights Activist has been selected for the Human Rights Tulip award 2016.

Nighat Dad Nominated for Dutch Human Rights Tulip Award 2016

The award is offered by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ‘pioneering human rights defenders.’ The award purposes to support human rights protectors and organizations, advertise their determinations and motivate others. The winner will be bestowed a prize worth €100.000.

Nighat Dad is among one of the ten contenders for the award. Three top nominees will be selected via public voting. Dutch Foreign minister Bert Koenders will select the winner. Whom he will present with the award, a bronze tulip-shaped statue on International Human Rights Day, December 10.

This isn’t the first time that Dad has been nominated for an award. She was also awarded the esteemed Atlantic Council Digital Freedom Award for 2016 for guarding and advancing the cause of freedom. In 2015, she was nominated among the six “Next Generation Leaders” by Time magazine for protecting and safeguarding rights of Pakistanis online.

Also Read: Nighat Added to the Generation Leaders List of TIME Magazine

Nighat Dad is a lawyer by profession. She set up the Digital Rights Foundation Pakistan in 2012, a non-profit organization intended for educating Pakistanis regarding their digital rights and how to answer to provocation online.

The organization also battles against regulation giving government bodies’ extensive powers of investigation online. Propagation of personal data of customers collected by telecom companies to government agencies and other organizations.

“We tell Internet users how to adjust their privacy settings. To make sure they have secure connections, change their passwords regularly and not to share unnecessary information.”

Dad clarifies.

“Women should come seek help if they are targeted and not feel ashamed.”

To make Nighat Dad win you can cast your vote until September 7 here

Also Read: Women’s Day Special: Women Making Things Happen via Technology