Right Livelihood Award facts for kids

The Right Livelihood Award is an international prize. It honors and supports people who offer "practical and excellent solutions to the most urgent challenges facing the world today." This award was started in 1980 by German-Swedish philanthropist Jakob von Uexküll. It is given out every year in early December.

An international group of judges chooses the winners. They look for people working in areas like environmental protection, human rights, sustainable development, health, education, and peace. The prize money is €200,000, which is usually shared among four winners. Sometimes, one winner gets an honorary award, meaning the other three share the money.

Even though some people call it an "Alternative Nobel Prize," it is not connected to the Nobel Prize or the Nobel Foundation.

What is the Right Livelihood Award?

The Right Livelihood Award is often seen as a way to offer a different kind of recognition compared to the traditional Nobel Prizes. It focuses on practical solutions to global problems.

Here are some ways it is different from the Nobel Prizes:

• It is not part of Alfred Nobel's original will.
• Anyone can suggest a nominee (except close family or their own groups).
• It is not limited to specific subjects like science or literature.
• The prize money is less than the Nobel Prize. For example, it's €200,000 compared to about €1,000,000 for a Nobel Prize.
• The money for the Right Livelihood Award comes from donations. The Nobel Prizes use money from Alfred Nobel's fortune.

How the Award Started

Jakob von Uexküll, who started the award, sold his valuable stamp collection for US$1 million. This money helped fund the first awards. Before starting this prize in 1980, von Uexküll tried to convince the Nobel Foundation to create new prizes. He suggested awards for ecology and development.

However, the Nobel Foundation had decided not to add any more awards after the Nobel Economics Prize was created. So, von Uexküll's idea was turned down. This led him to create the Right Livelihood Award on his own.

From 1980 to 2021, the foundation has given awards to 186 winners from 73 countries. Its goal is to highlight the work of people who find local solutions to big global problems.

The Award Ceremony

Since 1985, the award ceremony has been held in Stockholm's old Parliament building. This usually happens a day before the traditional Nobel Prizes are given out in the same city. Members of the Swedish Parliament from different parties often host the event.

In 2019, to celebrate the award's 40th anniversary, the ceremony was held at Cirkus. More than 1,200 people watched the event live. Famous artists like José González and Ane Brun performed that night.

Notable Winners

The Right Livelihood Award has been given to many different people and organizations. These winners have worked on important issues around the world. Some well-known winners include Wangari Maathai, Astrid Lindgren, Bianca Jagger, Edward Snowden, and Greta Thunberg.

Here is a list of some of the people and groups who have received this special award:

Year	Image	Laureates	Country	Citation
1980
		Hassan Fathy (1900–1989)	Egypt	"for developing an 'Architecture for the Poor'."
		Stephen Gaskin (1935–2014)	United States  Guatemala  Lesotho	"for caring, sharing and acting with and on behalf of those in need at home and abroad."
		Plenty International
1981
		Mike Cooley (1934–2020)	United Kingdom	"for designing and promoting the theory and practice of human-centred, socially useful production."
		Bill Mollison (1928–2016)	Australia	"for developing and promoting the theory and practice of permaculture."
		Patrick van Rensburg (1931–2017)	Botswana  South Africa	"for developing replicable educational models for the third world majority."
		Foundation for Education with Production (FEP)
1982
		Erik Dammann (b. 1931)	Norway	"for challenging Western values and lifestyles in order to promote a more responsible attitude to the environment and the third world."
		Anwar Fazal (b. 1941)	Malaysia	"for fighting for the rights of consumers and helping them to do the same."
		Petra Kelly (1947–1992)	Germany	"for forging and implementing a new vision uniting ecological concerns with disarmament, social justice and human rights."
		Participatory Institute for Development Alternatives (PIDA)	Sri Lanka	"for developing exemplary processes of self-reliant, participatory development among the poor in Asia."
		George Trevelyan (1906–1996)	United Kingdom	"for educating the adult spirit to a new non-materialistic vision of human nature."
1983
		Leopold Kohr (1909–1994)	Austria	"for his early inspiration of the movement for a human scale."
		Amory Lovins (b 1947)	United States	"for pioneering soft energy paths for global security."
		Hunter Sheldon-Lovins (b. 1950)
		Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)
		Manfred Max-Neef (1932–2019)	Chile	"for revitalising small and medium-sized communities through 'Barefoot Economics'."
		Centre for Development Alternatives (CEPAUR)
		Yutaka Gibbons (1944–2021)	Palau	"for upholding the democratic, constitutional right of their island to remain nuclear-free."
		The People of Belau
1984
		Imane Khalifeh (1955–1995)	Lebanon	"for inspiring and organising the Beirut peace movement."
		Ela Bhatt (1933–2022)	India	"for helping home-based producers to organise for their welfare and self-respect."
		Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA)
		Winefreda Geonzon (1941–1990)	Philippines	"for giving assistance to prisoners and aiding their rehabilitation."
		Free Legal Assistance Volunteers' Association (FREE LAVA)
		Wangari Maathai (1940–2011)	Kenya	"for converting the Kenyan ecological debate into mass action for reforestation."
		Green Belt Movement (GBM)
1985
		Theo van Boven (b. 1934)	Netherlands	"for speaking out on human rights abuse without fear or favour in the international community."
		Cary Fowler (b. 1949)	United States	"for working to save the world's genetic plant heritage."
		Pat Mooney (b. 1947)	Canada
		Rural Advancement Fund International (RAFI)	United States
		Rajni Kothari (1928–2015)	India	"for linking and strengthening local groups working to protect civil liberties, women's rights and the environment."
		Dialogue of the People [Lokayan]
		János Vargha (b. 1949)	Hungary	"for working under unusually difficult circumstances to preserve the river Danube, a vital part of Hungary's environment."
		Danube Circle [Duna Kör]
1986
		Robert Jungk (1913–1994)	Austria	"for struggling indefatigably on behalf of peace, sane alternatives for the future and ecological awareness."
		Rosalie Bertell, S.G.M.	Canada	"for raising public awareness about the destruction of the biosphere and human gene pool, especially by low-level radiation."
		Alice Stewart (1906–2002)	United Kingdom	"for bringing to light in the face of official opposition the real dangers of low-level radiation."
		Helena Norberg-Hodge (b. 1946)	Sweden	"for preserving the traditional culture and values of Ladakh against the onslaught of tourism and development."
		Ladakh Ecological Development Group (LEDeG)	India
		Evaristo Nugkuag Ikanan (b. 1950)	Peru	"for organising to protect the rights of the Indians of the Amazon basin."
		Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESEP)
1987
		Johan Galtung (1930–2024)	Norway	"for his systematic and multidisciplinary study of the conditions which can lead to peace."
		The Chipko Movement	India	"for its dedication to the conservation, restoration and ecologically-sound use of India's natural resources."
		Hans-Peter Dürr (1929–2014)	Germany	"for his profound critique of the strategic defence initiative (SDI) and his work to convert high technology to peaceful uses."
		Global Challenges Network
		Frances Moore Lappé (b. 1944)	United States	"for revealing the political and economic causes of world hunger and how citizens can help to remedy them."
		Institute for Food and Development Policy
		Mordechai Vanunu (b. 1952)	Israel	"for his courage and self-sacrifice in revealing the extent of Israel's nuclear weapons programme."
1988
		Inge Genefke (b. 1938)	Denmark	"for helping those whose lives have been shattered by torture to regain their health and personality."
		International Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (IRCT)
		José Lutzenberger (1926–2002)	Brazil	"for his contribution to protecting the natural environment in Brazil and worldwide."
		John Charlewood Turner (1927–2023)	United Kingdom	"for championing the rights of people to build, manage and sustain their own shelter and communities."
		Mohammed Idris (1926–2019)	Malaysia	"for their exemplary struggle to save the tropical forests of Sarawak."
		Harrison Ngau Laing (b. 1959)
		Friends of Nature Malaysia [Sahabat Alam Malaysia, SAM]
		the Penan people
1989
		Seikatsu Club Consumers' Co-operative Union (SCCCU)	Japan	"for creating the most successful, sustainable model of production and consumption in the industrialised world."
		Melaku Worede (1936–2023)	Ethiopia	"for preserving Ethiopia's genetic wealth by building one of the finest seed conservation centres in the world."
		Aklilu Lemma (1934–1997)	Ethiopia	"for discovering and campaigning relentlessly for an affordable preventative against bilharzia."
		Legesse Wolde-Yohannes (b. 1936)
		Survival International	United Kingdom	"for working with tribal peoples to secure their rights, livelihood and self-determination."
1990
		Alice Tepper Marlin (b. 1944)	United States	"for showing the direction in which the Western economy must develop to promote the well-being of humanity."
		Council on Economic Priorities (SA8000)
		Bernard Lédéa Ouédraogo [fr] (1930–2017)	Burkina Faso	"for strengthening peasant self-help movements all over West Africa."
		Felicia Langer (1930–2018)	Poland  Israel	"for the exemplary courage of her advocacy for the basic rights of the Palestinian people."
		Association of Peasant Workers of the Carare (Asociación de Trabajadores Campesinos del Carare, ATCC)	Colombia	"for its outstanding commitment to peace, family and community in the midst of the most senseless violence."
1991
		Edward Goldsmith (1928–2009)	United Kingdom	"for his uncompromising critique of industrialism and promotion of environmentally sustainable and socially just alternatives to it."
		Baba Amte (1914–2008)	India	"for their inspired opposition to the disastrous Narmada Valley dams project and their promotion of alternatives designed to benefit the poor and the environment."
		Medha Patkar (b. 1954)
		Save the Narmada Movement [Narmada Bachao Andolan, NBA]
		Bengt Danielsson (1921–1997)	Sweden  France	"for exposing the tragic results of, and advocating an end, to French nuclear colonialism."
		Marie-Thérèse Sailley-Danielsson (1923–2003)
		Jeton Anjain (1933–1993)	Marshall Islands	"for their steadfast struggle against United States nuclear policy in support of their right to live on an unpolluted Rongelap island."
		The People of Rongelap
		Landless Workers' Movement [Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra, MST]	Brazil	"for winning land for landless families and helping them to farm it sustainably."
1992
		Finnish Village Action Movement [Suomen Kylät, SK]	Finland	"for showing a dynamic path to rural regeneration decentralisation and popular empowerment."
		Zafrullah Chowdhury (1941–2023)	Bangladesh	"for their outstanding record of promotion of health and human development."
		People's Health Centre [Gonoshasthaya Kendra]
		Helen Mack Chang (b. 1952)	Guatemala	"for her personal courage and persistence in seeking justice and an end to the impunity of political murderers."
		John Gofman (1918–2007)	United States	"for his pioneering work in exposing the health effects of low-level radiation."
		Alla Yaroshinskaya (b. 1953)	Ukraine	"for revealing, against official opposition and persecution, the extent of the damaging effects of the Chernobyl disaster on local people."
1993
		Arna Mer-Khamis (1929–1995)	Israel	"for passionate commitment to the defence and education of the children of Palestine."
		Care and Learning
		Sithembiso Nyoni (b. 1949)	Zimbabwe	"for building a remarkable grassroots movement and motivating its million members to follow their own path of human development."
		Organisation of Rural Associations for Progress (ORAP)
		Vandana Shiva (b. 1952)	India	"for placing women and ecology at the heart of modern development discourse."
		Mary Dann (1923–2005)	United States	"for exemplary courage and perseverance in asserting the rights of indigenous people to their land."
		Carrie Dann (1932–2021)
1994
		Astrid Lindgren (1907–2002)	Sweden	"for her unique authorship dedicated to the rights of children and respect for their individuality."
		Service Volunteered for All (SERVOL)	Trinidad and Tobago	"for fostering spiritual values, cooperation and family responsibility in building society."
		Hanumappa Sudarshan (b. 1950)	India	"for showing how tribal culture can contribute to a process that secures the basic rights and fundamental needs of indigenous people and conserves their environment."
		Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra (VGKK)
		Ken Saro-Wiwa (1941–1995)	Nigeria	"for their exemplary courage in striving non-violently for the civil, economic and environmental rights of their people."
		Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP)
1995
		András Bíró (b. 1925)	Hungary	"for their resolute defence of Hungary's Roma minority and effective efforts to aid their self-development."
		Hungarian Foundation for Self-Reliance [Autonómia Alapítvány, HFSR]
		Serb Civic Council [Srpsko Građansko Vijeće, SGV]	Bosnia and Herzegovina	"for maintaining their support for a humane, multi-ethnic, democratic Bosnia-Herzegovina."
		Carmel Budiardjo (1925–2021)	Indonesia  United Kingdom	"for holding the Indonesian government accountable for its actions and upholding the universality of fundamental human rights."
		Political Prisoners [Tahanan Politik, TAPOL]
		Sulak Sivaraksa (b. 1933)	Thailand	"for his vision, activism and spiritual commitment in the quest for a development process that is rooted in democracy, justice and cultural integrity."
1996
		Herman Daly (1938–2022)	United States	"for defining a path of ecological economics that integrates the key elements of ethics, quality of life, environment and community."
		Committee of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia [Союз Комитетов Солдатских Матерей России, CKCMP]	Russia	"for their courage in upholding the common humanity of Russians and Chechens and opposing the militarism and violence in Chechnya."
		People's Science Movement of Kerala [Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad, KSSP]	India	"for its major contribution to a model of development rooted in social justice and popular participation."
		George Vithoulkas (b. 1932)	Greece	"for his outstanding contribution to the revival of homeopathic knowledge and the training of homeopaths to the highest standards."
1997
		Joseph Ki-Zerbo (1922–2006)	Burkina Faso	"for a lifetime of scholarship and activism that has identified the key principles and processes by which Africans can create a better future."
		Jinzaburo Takagi (1938–2000)	Japan	"for serving to alert the world to the unparalleled dangers of plutonium to human life."
		Mycle Schneider (b. 1959)	France
		Michael Succow (b. 1941)	Germany	"for his commitment to safeguard natural eco-systems and areas of outstanding natural value for future generations."
		Cindy Duehring (1962–1999)	United States	"for putting her personal tragedy at the service of humanity by helping others understand and combat the risks posed by toxic chemicals."
1998
		International Baby Food Action Network		"for its committed and affective campaigning in support of breastfeeding."
		Samuel Epstein (1926–2018)	United States	"for his exemplary life of scholarship wedded to activism on behalf of humanity."
		Juan Pablo Orrego (b. 1949)	Chile	"for his personal courage, self-sacrifice and perseverance in working for sustainable development in Chile."
		Biobío Action Group [Grupo de Acción por el Biobío, GABB]
		Katarina Kruhonja (b. 1949)	Croatia	"for their dedication to a long-term process of peace-building and reconciliation in the Balkans."
		Vesna Terselic (b. 1962)
1999
		Hermann Scheer (1944–2010)	Germany	"for his indefatigable work for the promotion of solar energy worldwide."
		Juan Garcés (b. 1944)	Spain	"for his long-standing efforts to end the impunity of dictators."
		Consolidation of the Amazon Region (COAMA)	Colombia	"for showing how indigenous people can improve their livelihood, sustain their culture and conserve their rainforests."
		Organic Agriculture Group [Grupo de Agricultura Orgánica, GAO]	Cuba	"for showing that organic agriculture is a key to both environmental sustainability and food security."
2000
		Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher (b. 1940)	Ethiopia	"for his exemplary work to safeguard biodiversity and the traditional rights of farmers and communities to their genetic resources."
		Munir Said Thalib (1965–2004)	Indonesia	"for his courage and dedication in fighting for human rights and civilian control of the military in Indonesia."
		Birsel Lemke (b. 1950)	Turkey	"for her long-standing struggle to protect her country from the devastation of cyanide-based gold mining."
		Wes Jackson (b. 1936)	United States	"for his single-minded commitment to developing an agriculture that is both highly productive and truly ecologically sustainable."
2001
		José Antonio Abreu (1939–2018)	Venezuela	"for achieving a unique cultural renaissance, bringing the joys of music to countless disadvantaged children and communities."
		Uri Avnery (1923–2018)	Israel	"for their unwavering conviction, in the midst of violence that peace can only be achieved through justice and reconciliation."
		Rachel Greenboim-Avnery (1932–2011)
		Gush Shalom Movement
		Leonardo Boff (b. 1938)	Brazil	"for his inspiring insights and practical work to help people realise the links between human spirituality, social justice and environmental stewardship."
		Trident Ploughshares	United Kingdom	"for providing a practical model of principled, transparent and non-violent direct action dedicated to ridding the world of nuclear weapons."
2002
		Martin Green (b. 1948)	Australia	"for his dedication and outstanding success in the harnessing of solar energy, the key technological challenge of our age."
		Kamenge Youth Centre (Centre Jeunes Kamenge, CJK)	Burundi	"for their exemplary courage and compassion in overcoming ethnic divisions during civil war so that young people can live and build a peaceful future together."
		Woman To Woman Foundation [Kvinna Till Kvinna]	Sweden	"for its successes in addressing ethnic hatred by helping war-torn women to be the major agents of peace-building and reconciliation."
		Martín Almada (b. 1937)	Paraguay	"for his outstanding courage in bringing torturers to justice, and promoting democracy, human rights and sustainable development."
2003
		David Lange (1942–2005)	New Zealand	"for his steadfast work over many years for a world free of nuclear weapons."
		Nicanor Perlas (b. 1950)	Philippines	"for his outstanding efforts in educating civil society about the effects of corporate globalisation, and how alternatives to it can be implemented."
		Walden Bello (b. 1945)
		Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice (CCEJ)	South Korea	"for its rigorous wide-ranging reform programme, based on economic and social justice, accountability and reconciliation with North Korea."
		Ibrahim Abouleish (1937–2017)	Egypt	"for a 21st century business model which combines commercial success with social and cultural development."
		SEKEM
2004
		Swami Agnivesh (1942–2005)	India	"for promoting over many years in South Asia the values of religious and communal co-existence, tolerance and mutual understanding."
		Asghar Ali Engineer (1939–2013)
		Memorial Society	Russia	"for showing, in traumatic times, the importance of understanding the historical roots of human rights abuse, to secure respect for them in the future."
		Bianca Jagger (b. 1950)	Nicaragua	"for her dedicated commitment and campaigning for human rights, social justice and environmental protection."
		Raúl Montenegro (b. 1949)	Argentina	"for his outstanding work with local communities and indigenous people to protect the environment and natural resources."
2005
		Maude Barlow (b. 1947)	Canada	"for their exemplary and longstanding worldwide work for trade justice and the recognition of the fundamental human right to water."
		Tony Clarke (b. 1944)
		Irene Fernandez (1946–2014)	Malaysia	"for her outstanding and courageous work to stop violence against women and abuses of migrant and poor workers."
		Roy Sesana (b. c. 1950)	Botswana	"for his resolute resistance against eviction from their ancestral lands, and for upholding the right to their traditional way of life."
		First People of the Kalahari (FPK)
		Francisco Toledo (1940–2019)	Mexico	"for devoting himself and his art to the protection and enhancement of the heritage, environment and community life of his native Oaxaca."
2006
		Daniel Ellsberg (1931–2023)	United States	"for putting peace and truth first, at considerable personal risk, and dedicating his life to inspiring others to follow his example."
		Ruth Manorama (b. 1952)	India	"for her commitment over decades to achieving equality for Dalit women, building effective and committed women's organisations and working for their rights at national and international levels."
		Chico Whitaker (b. 1931)	Brazil	"for a lifetime's dedicated work for social justice that has strengthened democracy in Brazil and helped give birth to the World Social Forum, showing that 'another world is possible'."
		International Poetry Festival of Medellín [Festival Internacional de Poesía de Medellín]	Colombia	"for showing how creativity, beauty, free expression and community can flourish amongst and overcome even deeply entrenched fear and violence."
2007
		Christopher Weeramantry (1926–2017)	Sri Lanka	"for his lifetime of ground-breaking work to strengthen and expand the rule of international law."
		Dekha Ibrahim Abdi (1964–2011)	Kenya	"for showing in diverse ethnic and cultural situations how religious and other differences can be reconciled, even after violent conflict, and knitted together through a cooperative process that leads to peace and development."
		Percy Schmeiser (1931–2020)	Canada	"for their courage in defending biodiversity and farmers' rights, and challenging the environmental and moral perversity of current interpretations of patent laws."
		Louise Walken-Schmeiser (b. 1931)
		Grameen Shakti (GS)	Bangladesh	"for bringing sustainable light and power to thousands of Bangladeshi villages, promoting health, education, and productivity."
2008
		Krishnammal Jagannathan (b. 1926)	India	"for two long lifetimes of work dedicated to realising in practice the Gandhian vision of social justice and sustainable human development, for which they have been referred to as 'India's soul'."
		Sankaralingam Jagannathan (1912–2013)
		Land for Tillers' Freedom (LAFTI)
		Amy Goodman (b. 1957)	United States	"for developing an innovative model of truly independent political journalism that brings to millions of people the alternative voices that are often excluded by mainstream media."
		Asha Haji Elmi (b. 1962)	Somalia	"for continuing to lead at great personal risk the female participation in the peace and reconciliation process in her war-ravaged country."
		Monika Hauser (b. 1959)	Switzerland  Italy	"for her tireless commitment to working with women who have experienced violence in some of the most dangerous countries in the world, and campaigning for them to receive social recognition and compensation."
2009
		Catherine Hamlin (1924–2020)	Australia  Ethiopia	"for her fifty years dedicated to treating obstetric fistula patients, thereby restoring the health, hope and dignity of thousands of Africa's poorest women."
		René Ngongo (b. 1961)	Democratic Republic of the Congo	"for his courage in confronting the forces that are destroying the Congo's rainforests and building political support for their conservation and sustainable use."
		David Suzuki (b. 1936)	Canada	"for his lifetime advocacy of the socially responsible use of science, and for his massive contribution to raising awareness about the perils of climate change and building public support for policies to address it."
		Alyn Ware (b. 1962)	New Zealand	"for his effective and creative advocacy and initiatives over two decades to further peace education and to rid the world of nuclear weapons."
2010
		Nnimmo Bassey (b. 1958)	Nigeria	"for revealing the full ecological and human horrors of oil production and for his inspired work to strengthen the environmental movement in Nigeria and globally."
		Erwin Kräutler, C.Pp.S. (b. 1939)	Austria  Brazil	"for a lifetime of work for the human and environmental rights of indigenous peoples and for his tireless efforts to save the Amazon forest from destruction."
		Shrikrishna Upadhyay (b. 1945)	Nepal	"for demonstrating over many years the power of community mobilisation to address the multiple causes of poverty even when threatened by political violence and instability."
		Support Activities for Poor Producers of Nepal (SAPPROS)
		Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR–I)	Israel	"for their indomitable spirit in working for the right to health for all people in Israel and Palestine."
2011
		Huang Ming (b. 1958)	China	"for his outstanding success in the development and mass-deployment of cutting-edge technologies for harnessing solar energy, thereby showing how dynamic emerging economies can contribute to resolving the global crisis of anthropogenic climate change."
		Jacqueline Moudeina (b. 1957)	Chad	"for her tireless efforts at great personal risk to win justice for the victims of the former dictatorship in Chad and to increase awareness and observance of human rights in Africa."
		GRAIN	Spain	"for their worldwide work to protect the livelihoods and rights of farming communities and to expose the massive purchases of farmland in developing countries by foreign financial interests."
		Ina May Gaskin (b. 1940)	United States	"for her whole-life's work teaching and advocating safe, woman-centred childbirth methods that best promote the physical and mental health of mother and child."
2012
		Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT)	United Kingdom	"for their innovative and effective campaigning against the global trade in arms."
		Gene Sharp (1928–2018)	United States	"for developing and articulating the core principles and strategies of nonviolent resistance and supporting their practical implementation in conflict areas around the world."
		Hayrettin Karaca (1922–2020)	Turkey	"for a lifetime and tireless advocacy and support for the protection and stewardship of our natural world, combining successful entrepreneurship with effective environmental activism."
		Sima Samar (b. 1957)	Afghanistan	"for her longstanding and courageous dedication to human rights, especially the rights of women, in one of the most complex and dangerous regions in the world."
2013
		Paul Walker (b. 1946)	United States	"for working tirelessly to rid the world of chemical weapons."
		Hans Rudolf Herren (b. 1947)	Switzerland	"for his expertise and pioneering work in promoting a safe, secure and sustainable global food supply."
		Biovision Foundation
		Raji Sourani (b. 1953)	Palestine	"for his unwavering dedication to the rule of law and human rights under exceptionally difficult circumstances."
		Denis Mukwege (b. 1955)	Democratic Republic of the Congo	"for his courageous work healing women survivors of war-time violence and speaking up about its root causes.
2014
		Bill McKibben (b. 1960)	United States	"for mobilising growing popular support in the USA and around the world for strong action to counter the threat of global climate change."
		350.org
		Basil Fernando (b. 1944)	Sri Lanka	"for his tireless and outstanding work to support and document the implementation of human rights in Asia."
		Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)	Hong Kong SAR, China
		Asma Jahangir (1952–2018)	Pakistan	"for defending, protecting and promoting human rights in Pakistan and more widely, often in very difficult and complex situations and at great personal risk."
		Alan Rusbridger (b. 1953)	United Kingdom	"for building a global media organisation dedicated to responsible journalism in the public interest, undaunted by the challenges of exposing corporate and government malpractices."
		Edward Snowden (b. 1983)	United States	"for his courage and skill in revealing the unprecedented extent of state surveillance violating basic democratic processes and constitutional rights."
2015
		Sheila Watt-Cloutier (b. 1953)	Canada	"for her lifelong work to protect the Inuit of the Arctic and defend their right to maintain their livelihoods and culture, which are acutely threatened by climate change."
		Tony deBrum (1945–2017)	Marshall Islands	"in recognition of their vision and courage to take legal action against the nuclear powers for failing to honour their disarmament obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and customary international law."
		The People of the Marshall Islands
		Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera (b. 1980)	Uganda	"for her courage and persistence, despite violence and intimidation, in working for the right of LGBTI people to a life free from prejudice and persecution."
		Gino Strada (1948–2021)	Italy	"for his great humanity and skill in providing outstanding medical and surgical services to the victims of conflict and injustice, while fearlessly addressing the causes of war."
		EMERGENCY
2016
		Cumhuriyet	Turkey	"for their fearless investigate journalism and commitment to freedom of expression in the face of oppression, censorship, imprisonment and death threats."
		Syrian Civil Defense (SCD)	Syria	"for their outstanding bravery, compassion and humanitarian engagement in rescuing civilians from the destruction of the Syrian civil war."
		Mozn Hassan (b. 1979)	Egypt	"for asserting the equality and rights of women in circumstances where they are subject to ongoing violence, abuse and discrimination."
		Nazra for Feminist Studies
		Svetlana Gannushkina (b. 1942)	Russia	"for her decades-long commitment to promoting human rights and justice for refugees and forced migrants, and tolerance among different ethnic groups."
2017
		Robert Bilott (b. 1965)	United States	"for exposing a decades-long history of chemical pollution, winning long-sought justice for the victims, and setting a precedent for effective regulation of hazardous substances."
		Colin Gonsalves (b. 1952)	India	"for his tireless and innovative use of public interest litigation over three decades to secure fundamental human rights for India's most marginalised and vulnerable citizens."
		Khadija Ismayilova (b. 1976)	Azerbaijan	"for her courage and tenacity in exposing corruption at the highest levels of government through outstanding investigative journalism in the name of transparency and accountability."
		Yetnebersh Nigussie (b. 1982)	Ethiopia	"for her inspiring work promoting the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities, allowing them to realise their full potential and changing mind-sets in our societies."
2018
		Thelma Aldana Hernández (b. 1955)	Guatemala	"for their innovative work in exposing abuse of power and prosecuting corruption, thus rebuilding people's trust in public institutions."
		Iván Velásquez Gómez (b. 1955)	Colombia
		Yacouba Sawadogo (1946–2023)	Burkina Faso	"for turning barren land into forest and demonstrating how farmers can regenerate their soil with innovative use of indigenous and local knowledge."
		Abdullah al-Hamid (1950–2020)	Saudi Arabia	"for their visionary and courageous efforts, guided by universal human rights principles, to reform the totalitarian political system in Saudi Arabia."
		Mohammad Fahad al-Qahtani (b. 1965)
		Waleed Sami Abulkhair (b. 1979)
		Tony Rinaudo (b. 1957)	Australia	"for demonstrating on a large scale how drylands can be greened at minimal cost, improving the livelihoods of millions of people."
2019
		Greta Thunberg (b. 2003)	Sweden	"for inspiring and amplifying political demands for urgent climate action reflecting scientific facts."
		Aminatou Haidar (b. 1957)	Western Sahara	"for her steadfast nonviolent action, despite imprisonment and torture, in pursuit of justice and self-determination for the people of Western Sahara."
		Davi Kopenawa Yanomami (b. c. 1956)	Brazil	"for their courageous determination to protect the forests and biodiversity of the Amazon, and the lands and culture of its indigenous peoples."
		Hutukara Yanomami Association
		Guo Jianmei (b. 1961)	China	"for her pioneering and persistent work in securing women's rights in China."
2020
		Nasrin Sotoudeh (b. 1963)	Iran	"for her fearless activism, at great personal risk, to promote political freedoms and human rights in Iran."
		Bryan Stevenson (b. 1959)	United States	"for his inspiring endeavour to reform the US criminal justice system and advance racial reconciliation in the face of historic trauma."
		Lottie Cunningham Wren (b. 1959)	Nicaragua	"for her ceaseless dedication to the protection of indigenous lands and communities from exploitation and plunder."
		Ales Bialiatski (b. 1962)	Belarus	"for their resolute struggle for the realisation of democracy and human rights in Belarus."
		Viasna Human Rights Centre
2021
		Marthe Wandou (b. 1963)	Cameroon	"for building a model of community-based child protection in the face of terrorist insurgency and gender-based violence in the Lake Chad region of Cameroon."
		Vladimir Slivyak (b. 1973)	Russia	"for his defence of the environment and for helping to ignite grassroots opposition to the coal and nuclear industries in Russia."
		Freda Huson (b. 1964)	Canada	"for her fearless dedication to reclaiming her people's culture and defending their land against disastrous pipeline projects."
		Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (LIFE)	India	"for their innovative legal work empowering communities to protect their resources in the pursuit of environmental democracy in India."
2022
		Oleksandra Matwijtschuk (b. 1983)	Ukraine	"for building sustainable democratic institutions in Ukraine and modelling a path to international accountability for war crimes."
		Centre for Civil Liberties (CCL)
		Fartuun Adan (b. 1969) (mother)	Somalia	"for promoting peace, demilitarisation and human rights in Somalia in the face of terrorism and gender-based violence."
		Ilwad Elman (b. 1989) (daughter)
		Africa Institute for Energy Governance [de] (AFIEGO)	Uganda	"for their courageous work for climate justice and community rights violated by extractivist energy projects in Uganda."
		Cecosesola (Central Coperativa de Servicios Sociales del Estado Lara)	Venezuela	"for establishing an equitable and cooperative economic model as a robust alternative to profit-driven economies."
2023		Eunice Brookman-Amissah	Ghana
		Mother Nature Cambodia	Cambodia	"for their fearless and engaging activism to preserve Cambodia's natural environment in the context of a highly restricted democratic space."
		SOS Méditerranée	Europe	"for its life-saving humanitarian search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea."
		Phyllis Omido	Kenya	"for her groundbreaking struggle to secure land and environmental rights for local communities while advancing the field of environmental law."

See also

In Spanish: Premio Right Livelihood para niños

• Right livelihood
• List of awards for contributions to society
• List of environmental awards
• List of human rights awards
• List of humanitarian and service awards
• List of civil awards and decorations