Activist honoured for her work in Saharawi camps
LOCAL international climate activist and human rights defender Catherine Constantinides has been acknowledged by the Saharawi National Commission for Human Rights (Conasadh) with an honorary membership.
The award was bestowed on her this week in the Saharawi refugee camps, south-west of Algeria, where she has been working for the past four years.
The president of Conasadh, Abba Salek Elhassa, said: “This is an expression of gratitude to her steady defence of the Saharawi people’s right to self-determination, and her global efforts in respect of human rights in Western Sahara.”
Constantinides has been working to highlight and educate civil society and communities around the world on the forgotten people of Africa, the Saharawi, and is no stranger to international platforms, including the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
“I do all that I do because, simply put, I have seen the truth. I can never rest until justice is done and the Saharawi people are treated with dignity and respect.
“And until the Saharawi people are given their inalienable right to self-determination and freedom to choose their destiny, we cannot rest.
“I will tell their story and share the truth at every opportunity, and I will be there on the day they celebrate their independence. It is a great honour to receive this membership,” she said.
“As a South African, I am proud to be able to stand in solidarity with my fellow African brothers and sisters, the Saharawi people.
“I will carry this membership with honour, dignity and an immense responsibility to amplify efforts as we work on the struggle of policy and power, ensuring that the question of Western Sahara remains on the agenda until its right to self-determination is realised.”