2023 Human Rights Award CeremonyRegister today for the event on June 6!
The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award identifies and honors those who embody Robert F. Kennedy’s belief that the power of individual and collective moral courage can overcome injustice. Each year, we honor outstanding champions of social justice who stand up to oppression, even at great personal risk, in the nonviolent pursuit of human rights.
This year, we're proud to present the RFK Human Rights Award to Guatemalan Indigenous rights group, Parlamento del Pueblo Xinka (Parliament of the Xinka People).
The event will feature introductory remarks by Kerry Kennedy, president of Robert F. Kennedy Human rights; keynote address by Kevin Sullivan, Pulitzer-prize winning senior correspondent and associate editor for The Washington Post; and remarks by Dr. Erika Aifán, former high risk judge in Guatemala, International Women of Courage awardee, and distinguished visiting fellow emeritus.
Join us in person in the Kennedy Caucus Room on June 6 to celebrate this year's laureate!
About Parlamento del Pueblo Xinka
The Parlamento del Pueblo Xinka (Parliament of the Xinka People) is the Assembly of the Xinka Ancestral Authorities, the second largest Indigenous people in Guatemala. The function of the Parliament is to maintain the Xinka people's own form of ancestral organization, unity among the different Xinka communities, promote the value of Xinka culture, science, technology, cosmovision and spirituality, advocate through a grassroots organizational structure, promote women's rights and, in doing so, foster wisdom, equity and cultural strength, and protect the Xinka ancestral territory. The Xinka Parliament defends the cultural and territorial rights of the Xinka and other Indigenous peoples. Its work includes demanding respect for the right to prior and informed consultation and participation in peaceful resistance to mining projects. The Xinka Parliament is currently engaged in litigation to reclaim their rights throughout their territory. This includes the right to free, prior and informed consent, the defense of key Xinka authorities who have been criminalized for defending their territory, and the legal leadership of cases seeking accountability for killings, threats and attacks against land and human rights defenders. Despite facing violent reprisals, the Xinka Parliament has achieved major successes, including skillfully securing a favorable ruling from the Constitutional Court, effectively suspending the mining license of the Escobal Mine.