GENEVA — Brazilian nun Sister Rosita Milesi on Wednesday won the United Nations refugee agency’s Nansen Award for decades of work championing the rights of migrants and refugees.
Milesi, 79, has helped thousands of people to access legal documents, shelter, food, health care, language training and the labour market in Brazil over 40 years, the UNHCR said in a statement.
“I decided to dedicate myself to migrants and refugees. I’m inspired by the growing need to help, to welcome, and to integrate refugees,” Milesi said in the statement.
“I’m not afraid to act, even if we don’t achieve everything we want to. If I take something on, I will turn the world upside down to make it happen.”
The Roman Catholic nun directs the Migration and Human Rights Institute, a frontline humanitarian agency.
The UNHCR highlighted her work as a lawyer, saying it had been “instrumental” in shaping public policy — notably Brazil’s 1997 refugee law, which helped to improve refugee rights, in line with international standards.
She played a similar role in Brazil’s 2017 migration law, bringing together various groups and mobilizing lawmakers.
Milesi was named alongside four regional winners, all women.
“All too often, women face heightened risks of discrimination and violence, especially when forced to flee,” UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi said in the statement.
“But these five winners show how women are also playing a critical role in the humanitarian response and in finding solutions.”
Grandi praised their dedication to driving action in their communities, building grassroots support, and shaping national policies.
