NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 4- High Court Judge, Justice Mumbi Ngugi is set to receive the Global Jurist of the Year Award for her role in promoting human rights and specifically the rights of women and children in Kenya.
She will be awarded by the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law’s Center for International Human Rights (CIHR).
Judge Ngugi serves in the Anti-corruption and Economic Crimes Division of the High Court.
In an announcement made by school and published in their website, Justice Ngugi will receive the award during a webinar on Tuesday, February 16.
“She will be interviewed by her friend the Honorable Ann Williams, retired U.S. Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, about the justice’s life-long commitment to human rights, marginalized populations, and diversity, equity, and inclusion,” reads a story on the Northwestern website.
“It is important that we bring to our University community distinguished practitioners and scholars who not only speak and write, but those who courageously work to implement human rights on the front lines,” said Thomas F. Geraghty, interim director of CIHR, about why Justice Ngugi was chosen to receive this award.
“Without them, little progress would be made in implementing human rights protections. She is a role model for our faculty and for students who aspire to be future Justice Ngugi’s.”
Justice Ngugi is a long-time advocate of human rights in Kenya. She has been involved in advocacy work for the rights of women and children, as well as the housing rights of the urban poor.
She has also been a prominent activist for the rights of persons with albinism in Kenya.
Prior to her appointment to the bench, Justice Ngugi was a prolific writer and researcher on human rights issues and was, for six years, the lead researcher and compiler of the Kenya Human Rights Commission Bi-annual Human Rights Report.
She was also a long-time columnist for Kenya’s leading newspapers, the “Sunday Nation” and “The Standard,”on social and legal issues.
She also engaged in private practice for 17 years, which primarily focused on civil litigation and family law.
She will be the sixth recipient of the award, since it was launched in 2013.
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