Sylvia Akan, an advocate for women's rights in Uganda, was honored with the 2026 Gwangju Human Rights Award for her work on behalf of women and children in peacebuilding processes and her role in the recovery of survivors of war.
Once detained by rebels... Devoted to human rights work “Although I still live with trauma keeping on speaking out heals my heart” At the awards ceremony held at Jeonil Building 245 in Dong-gu, Gwangju, on the afternoon of the 17th, Uganda n activist for the rights of women Sylvia Akan, head of ‘Golden Women Vision in Uganda ’ , speaks after being selected as the recipient of the Gwangju Human Rights Award this year.
Yonhap News Sylvia Akan , a Ugandan human rights activist who visited Korea to receive the Gwangju Human Rights Award, said, “Women must be included in the process of making peace in any war or conflict area,” adding, “From experience, when women are involved in peace talks, peace tends to come more readily.
” In an interview with the Kyunghyang Shinmun at the National Human Rights Commission in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 15th, Akan recounted her experiences during the civil war in Uganda. She is both a victim of war and a human rights advocate.
During the conflict, she was abducted by rebels for eight years, suffered sexual violence, and was shot nine times. Afterward, she took the path of human rights work, including founding the survivor-led organization ‘Golden Women Vision in Uganda’ .
On the 17th, Akan received the ‘2026 Gwangju Human Rights Award’ from the May 18 Memorial Foundation. Established in 2000, the Gwangju Human Rights Award honors activists or organizations that have dedicated themselves to human rights and democracy in the spirit of the May 18 Democratization Movement.
Akan highlighted ‘the participation of women’ as the meaning of receiving the Gwangju Human Rights Award. She said it is “a path toward justice that recognizes the sacrifices of women who could not raise their voices,” and “about including women in peacebuilding processes.
” She also said, “This award is one piece of evidence that the voices of war victims are reaching the world. ” Do not be nice to women!
… ‘male-dominated communities’ spreading in Africa Sylvia Akan, a Ugandan human rights activist and recipient of the 2026 Gwangju Human Rights Award, is interviewed by the Kyunghyang Shinmun at the National Human Rights Commission in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 15th. Park Chae-yeon, reporter Akan said, “Women and children bear the greatest suffering in war,” recounting that she has met tens of thousands of victims.
Her older sister, who was pregnant, was shot and killed by rebels who came to their village. She recalled rebels lining up her and other captive women and forcing them to witness the execution of a woman.
“War is unspeakably horrific,” she said, adding, “I will keep telling this and raising my voice for peace. ” After being released from captivity, she began relief work in internally displaced persons camps in northern Uganda in 2000, and in 2011 founded GWVU.
More than 920 survivors in the group share their pain and speak with a common voice.
“I still have trauma, but by continuing to speak out I feel my heart healing,” Akan said, adding, “I hope a society is built that does not stigmatize women survivors. ” In 2018, Akan became the first recipient of the ‘Kim Bok-dong Peace and Human Rights Award,’ established to honor Kim Bok-dong, a victim of the Japanese military ‘comfort women’ system and a human rights activist.
Regarding the ‘comfort women’ issue, she said, “As time passes, society forgets their suffering, so we must continue to represent their voices,” and, “Perpetrators must be held accountable to the very end so that no one can be exempt from responsibility.
” Akan added, “Although Kim Bok-dong has passed away, her descendants and the next generation must continue to raise awareness about the comfort women issue,” while also emphasizing the responsibility of the government.
“When the government joins hands with stakeholders and builds a strong push, survivors can receive proper redress and justice can be achieved,” she said. She also stressed the role of schools, noting that misogyny harms women in the medium and long term.
Akan said, “If teachers educate students about the impact that hate speech has on society, misogyny could become a thing of the past. ” 한글기사 원본
Uganda Human Rights Activist Peace Women's Rights War Victims Civil War Sexual Violence Capture Shooting Foundation Organizations Peace And Human Rights Award Survivor-Led Organization War Crimes War Victims' Rights
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