Biography
Shulamith Koenig - is the recipient of the 2003 United Nations Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Field of Human Rights.
She is the Founding President of PDHRE, the People’s Movement for Human Rights Learning –formerly known as- People’s Decade for Human Rights Education- which she had founded in 1988 with the goal of generating --in the words of Nelson Mandela --a new political culture based on human rights— to enable women and men alike to participate as equals in the decision that determine their lives…--people belonging in community in dignity with others…--people moving from charity to dignity. To that end, Shula had promoted the understanding of human rights learning at the community level as a strategy for human, social, economic and societal development. For that purpose she advocated, organized, and facilitated, in more the 60 countries, dialogue, and training to effect societal change through learning about human rights as a way of life…-- to enhance critical thinking and systemic analysis within a holistic human rights framework that leads to action for social justice…--for all to break through the vicious cycle of humiliation. Shula worked successfully to have the UN declare a Decade for Human rights educations and develop international public policy to enhance these learning worldwide. To demonstrate the practical values of the vision and mission of human rights she has initiated and facilitated the “Human Rights Cities†program, of which 16 are already in development. With her colleagues she is working to develop 30 human rights cities and create a new vocation: human rights learning at the community level, starting with 500 young community leaders to strengthen democracy as a delivery system for human rights. With her colleagues she is developing a world wide campaign on transforming the patriarchal order to a human rights system through human rights learning. For more then 20 years she worked as an industrial engineer. With her husband Jerry they manufactured water saving products for irrigation and water saving systems. She published numerous articles, training videos and manuals, and supervised the publication of Passport to Dignity –a comprehensive volume about the human rights of women. The recent 400 page Peoples’ Report, argues the case for all people to know and claim human rights as a way of life. She has three sons and four grandchildren and an award winning sculptor. |
