AFRO-NETS> Jonathan Mann Award Nominations

[Global Health Council <AIDS@globalhealthcouncil.org>]

Jonathan Mann Award Nominations
-------------------------------

The link between HIV and Human Rights is essential in dealing with the 
AIDS epidemic. In response, we are forwarding the following information 
to you on behalf of the Jonathan Mann Award organisers. Although there 
is only one recipient for this award, you all deserve credit and con-
gratulations for your on-going energy, innovation and commitment in 
your work with HIV/AIDS. 

Warm regards, 
Global Health Council's Global AIDS Program 
mailto:AIDS@globalhealthcouncil.org


Dear Colleague,

We want your help. Specifically, we would like you to nominate an indi-
vidual or organisation to be the first recipient of the Jonathan Mann 
Award for Global Health and Human Rights.

As you know, Jonathan Mann and his wife Mary Lou Clements-Mann were 
tragically killed a few months ago. Their untimely death, in the crash 
of Swissair flight 111 in September 1998, takes from us a crusader 
against AIDS and a champion for human rights.

As an epidemiologist in Africa, Jonathan was able to see clearly the 
connection between poverty and illness. He played a major role in fo-
cusing public attention to the fact that prejudice and discrimination 
were helping to drive and spread the AIDS epidemic. He realised early 
on that fuelling the epidemic was not simply the virus itself, but dis-
crimination against those at risk of infection and restrictions on free 
expression concerning the scope, transmission, and prevention of the 
virus. While he occupied lofty positions as the founder and head of the 
World Health Organisation's fight against AIDS and Harvard's Francois-
Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, history will espe-
cially remember Jonathan for bringing to the world's attention the ba-
sic notion that improved health cannot be achieved without basic human 
rights, and that these rights are meaningless without adequate health.

The Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights has been es-
tablished to honour this remarkable individual and to help to call con-
tinued attention to the vital links between health and human rights. 
Four leading international health and human rights organisations have 
come together as partners to support the Jonathan Mann Award. They are 
the Association Francois-Xavier Bagnoud, Doctors of the World, the 
Global Health Council and Human Rights Watch. Former President Jimmy 
Carter will present the Award on June 22, 1999 at a special luncheon at 
the Global Health Council's Annual Conference. 

The Award will be presented annually to a leader in health and human 
rights, be it an individual or organisation. The Award is intended to 
be a substantial cash prize to allow its recipients a measure of free-
dom to pursue their work in this important area.

A blue ribbon committee of individuals who have championed interna-
tional health and human rights will undertake the final selection of 
the Award recipient. The committee includes Dr. Peter Piot of UNAIDS, 
Dr. Helene Gayle of CDC, Dr. Barry Bloom of Harvard University, Dr. An-
thony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health, Senator Patrick 
Leahy, Jonathan's daughter, Naomi Mann, representatives from the four 
partnering organisations supporting the Award, and others to be named 
shortly.

We are seeking nominations of individuals or organisations that have 
demonstrated leadership, courage, commitment, and creativity in promot-
ing and enhancing the links between human rights and health. This year 
priority will go to nominees working in the field, at the grassroots 
level.

We are experimenting this year with using the e-mail to facilitate 
nominations. This in an effort to encourage broad participation in the 
nominations process and to move quickly since we have less than five 
months before presentation of the Award. If deadlines are to be met, we 
must have your nomination in-hand no later then Thursday, April 1, 
1999.

Should you have questions or require additional information please feel 
free to contact:

Mike Feldstein
Tel: +1-202-833-5900, ext. 220 
mailto:JMannAward@HotMail.com

Jonathan Mann blazed a path for all of us concerned with health and hu-
man rights. We benefit from his work in the fight against AIDS and 
championing the rights of those marginalised by their societies. I en-
courage you to not simply "delete" this message, but rather take a few 
minutes now and make a nomination for this Award that remembers Jona-
than and his ground breaking work.

Sincerely,

Albina du Boisrouvray
Victoria Sharpe 
Nils Daulaire
Kenneth Roth

The Global Health Council (formerly NCIH) 
Global AIDS Program
1701 K Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20006, USA
Tel: +1-202-833-5900 
Fax: +1-202-833-0075
mailto:AIDS@globalhealthcouncil.org
http://www.globalhealthcouncil.org


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