Saima elected Unesco-Emir Jaber prize int'l jury chairperson

Saima Wazed Putul, daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been elected Chairperson of the International Jury Board of UNESCO-Emir Jaber al-Ahmad al-Jabar al-Sabah prize for digital empowerment of persons with disabilities.

According to a statement, issued by Bangladesh Ambassador to France and Permanent Representative to UNESCO Shahidul Islam, the election was held at the Jury Board's meeting in Paris on Wednesday where Saima was elected as the head of the board for the next two years.

Saima is the current Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism in Bangladesh and a member of World Health Organization's (WHO) advisory panel of mental health.

UNESCO-Emir Jaber al-Ahmad al-Jabar al-Sabah prize is given to the individuals or organizations for their outstanding contribution in implementing digital solutions to enhance the lives of persons with disabilities, the statement said.

Usually, two awards worth $20,000 each is given to an individual and an organization to recognize their contributions in this field.

The four members of the jury board are Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities of United Nations Human Rights Council Costa Rican Catalina Devandas Aguilar, Lebanese journalist May Chidiac, professor of Johannes Kepler University of Austria Klaus Miesenberger and member of the Committee of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Martin Babu Mwesigwa.

Source: BSS