The University of Oslo Human Rights Award 2016 goes to Argentinian psychiatrist, anti-torture activist and human rights defender Dr Diana Kordon
University of Oslo‘s Human Rights Award is an honor to individuals who have made important contributions in different fields. The Award was launched in 1986 and since then, it has been awarded every year to notable people from different walks of life. Those years when the award was not distributed are 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004.
For four decades, Dr Kordon has provided psychological services to the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo and others affected by atrocities committed by the military dictatorship in her country.
In her field, she has been a pioneer in developing psychological help for victims of human rights violations, and she has developed an approach to health care and rehabilitation of victims of abuse by the military dictatorship, a number of whose representatives have now been convicted of crimes against humanity.
She was part of a group that founded EATIP (Argentine Team of Psychological Work and Research) in 1990. The non-profit rehabilitation center was set up to provide free psychotherapeutic and psychosocial assistance to people affected by human rights violations. Today she works as a coordinator at EATIP.
During the “Dirty War” period from 1976 to 1983, Argentina’s military dictatorship killed between 10,000 and 30,000 citizens. “The situation was terrible,” Kordon recalled. “Professionals were disappearing. We had to move regularly. I was close to being arrested at one time.”
This year’s award goes to a person who continues in the tradition of Leo Eitinger. Eitinger was a professor of psychiatry at the University of Oslo and famous for his academic work on late-onset psychological trauma in victims of the Holocaust.
Inga Bostad, Director of the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, handed over UiO’s Human Rights Award – The Lisl and Leo Eitinger Prize for 2016
During the ceremony there were addresses by Diana Kordon, award winner, and Nora Sveaas, associate professor and music performances by Anneli Drecker, Frida Frederikke Waaler Wærvågen, Sindre Hotvedt and Henrik Åsaune.
EATIP Co-Founder Receives Prestigious Norwegian Award , edited by Tor Kjolberg. All photos by Tor Kjolberg.