‘Promotion of human fraternity must extend to empowerment of women,’ Zayed Award panel judge Epsy Campbell Barr tells Arab News

The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity recognizes those who contribute most to human progress and coexistence. (Adjaye Associates)
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Updated 23 January 2023
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‘Promotion of human fraternity must extend to empowerment of women,’ Zayed Award panel judge Epsy Campbell Barr tells Arab News

  • Former Costa Rica vice president says “more understanding between the sexes” needed to build a better world
  • Zayed Award for Human Fraternity was launched in 2019 following Pope Francis’ historic visit to Abu Dhabi

DUBAI: Promotion of the values of human fraternity must extend to the empowerment of women, according to Epsy Campbell Barr, a former vice president of Costa Rica and member of the judging panel for this year’s Zayed Award for Human Fraternity.

“We need more understanding between the sexes in order to build a better world,” she told Arab News in the lead-up to this year’s award ceremony on Feb. 4. “It is impossible to do so without the inclusion of women.

“This is where the message of the human fraternity is important: Through the promotion of equality and non-discrimination.”

The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity was created to build on the historic meeting in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 4, 2019, between Pope Francis and Ahmed El-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar.

Their meeting, which marked the first-ever papal visit to the Arabian Peninsula, culminated in the co-signing of the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, also known as the Abu Dhabi declaration.




The award was set up following the meeting between Pope Francis and Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb in 2019. (AFP)

It was born from a fraternal discussion between the two religious leaders with the aim of helping to guide others in advancing a “culture of mutual respect.” Francis later described it as “no mere diplomatic gesture but a reflection born of dialogue and common commitment.”

The Abu Dhabi declaration led to the founding of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity and the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, who was then the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and is now the ruler of the emirate and president of the UAE.

The award, now in its fourth edition, is named in honor of Sheikh Mohammed’s father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, founder of the UAE.

Campbell Barr, who was in office in Costa Rica from May 2018 until May 2022, was the first woman of African descent to hold the post of vice president in Latin America, and was named among the 100 Most Influential People of African Descent in 2021.

As an economist and long-serving politician, she believes the full implementation of the Document of Human Fraternity can help promote the political, social and economic empowerment of women and girls.

“We need to build bridges,” she said. “When we think of women’s economic empowerment, we have to make sure we can have a dialogue with the financial sector to offer women finances for their entrepreneurship ideas, as well as having a sense of human fraternity in political dialogues.

“We need money in the hands of women because we know it will not only change her life but the life of the community around her and, eventually, the country.”




The panel of judges for this year’s Zayed Award. (Supplied)

Campbell Barr’s comments come at a time when the rights of women and girls are being rolled back in many parts of the world, and as the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the inflationary pressures resulting from the war in Ukraine fall disproportionately on their shoulders.

Nowhere is the assault on women’s liberties more blatant perhaps than in Afghanistan, where the Taliban, which stormed back to power in August 2021, has barred girls from secondary education and, more recently, blocked their access to colleges and universities.

According to the World Bank, although women make up half of the global population, they contribute a mere 37 percent to global gross domestic product. The bank said global GDP could increase by 26 percent if the gap between men and women in the workforce is closed.

“We have to change our minds, we have to cooperate,” said Campbell Barr. “The message of the document can be useful for social, economic and environmental issues. We have to use the human fraternity agreement as a tool for general dialogue, to build our consensus for a new world.”

FASTFACT

Feb. 4 has been designated as the International Day of Human Fraternity in honor of the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity by Pope Francis and Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi on that day in 2019.

The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity is an independent global prize, presented by the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, that was launched in recognition of those who make profound contributions to human progress and peaceful coexistence.

Honorees are awarded $1 million in support of their efforts and to fund the continuation of their work in advancing human fraternity, collaborating across divides, and driving real progress.

The 2021 prize was jointly awarded to Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the UN, and French-Moroccan activist Latifa Ibn Ziaten, founder of the Imad Association for Youth and Peace who, after losing her son to an act of terrorism, channeled her sorrow into developing an outreach program for young people.

The 2022 award was bestowed on King Abdullah of Jordan and his wife, Queen Rania, “in appreciation of their efforts to promote human fraternity, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence,” and Haitian humanitarian organization the Foundation for Knowledge and Liberty.

Pope Francis welcomed the 2023 judging committee to the Vatican on Jan. 9 to discuss the significance of the award in promoting human fraternity on a global scale, including the protection of women’s rights.

Francis, himself a 2019 honorary recipient of the award along with El-Tayeb, told the members of the judging panel: “Your work is important in advancing the message of human fraternity.”

He also stressed the importance of the global award for humanity and urged the committee to do its part to advance the rights of women.

“It is important in your work to uphold the dignity of women, as women’s rights are often outlined on paper but not practiced in reality,” he said.

In addition to Campbell Barr, this year’s judging panel includes Miguel Angel Moratinos, the UN undersecretary general and high representative for the alliance of civilizations, and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, a Filipino prelate of the Catholic Church the pro-prefect of the dicastery for evangelization.

They are joined by child rights activist and 2014 Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi, entrepreneur and 2015 Nobel laureate Ouided Bouchamaoui, and Mohammed Abdelsalam, secretary general of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity and the Muslim Council of Elders.

Ahead of the committee’s meeting at the Vatican, Satyarthi said he was looking for an award nominee with the “light of compassion to make long-lasting changes to society. We need strong actions and bold ideas to make a beautiful, more just, and equitable world.”

Abdelsalam said the award was designed to promote understanding and respect among all peoples, adding: “That is why the award aims to highlight individuals and organizations that contribute to making a long-term impact, and who are building a framework for initiatives and ideas that foster the development of a more harmonious, global human community.”

Campbell Barr said that human fraternity “is an understanding between people, between civilizations. It is a new ideology to embrace the things we have in common rather than our differences.”

She added: “It is the building of society based on mutual peace and respect. We have been focusing far too long on what makes us different. Agreements can change lives, organizations and countries. It is the way to build a new world. We need to build bridges and understand each other.”




Epsy Campbell Barr. (AFP)

Campbell Barr said she is looking for compassion, commitment, respect and the application of human fraternity in a nominee.

“I am looking for one who promotes dialogue,” she told Arab News. “The award is not the objective. Rather, it is a tool to apply the concept of human fraternity.

“We need to build bridges and this can be made possible through a political dialogue and a sense of fraternity. We have to cooperate rather than compete.”

Campbell Barr said that over the course of her political career she had to overcome several barriers but is proud to have been able to serve her fellow Costa Ricans, empower communities and make a difference.

“I had the great opportunity of being the VP of my country, but I feel I didn’t do it for Costa Rica alone but for all the girls and women in the world to show them that they can do everything they wish to achieve,” she said.

“Women lead differently to men. We do so with more love, we are more cooperative than competitive.”

Above all, Campbell Barr believes political power ought to be used to help ease the suffering of those who are less fortunate, who often lack the opportunities afforded the better off in societies.

“Using one’s voice is so important, to inspire people,” she said. “And when one is in a high political position, we have to work with both hands.”

The winner of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity 2023 will be announced on Feb. 4, which is the UN-recognized International Day for Human Fraternity.


How many hostages are left in Gaza?

Updated 4 sec ago
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How many hostages are left in Gaza?

Israel said Sunday that it has recovered the bodies of three more hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that ignited the ongoing 20-month war in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military identified them as Yonatan Samerano, 21; Ofra Keidar, 70; and Shay Levinson, 19. All three were killed during the initial attack and their bodies were taken into Gaza. Kobi Samerano said in a Facebook post that his son’s remains were returned on what would have been Yonatan’s 23rd birthday.
The military did not provide details about the operation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is committed to returning the remaining hostages even as it wages a new military campaign against Iran.
Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages in the Oct. 7 attack. More than 55,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, have been killed in the ensuing conflict, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Here are details on the hostages:
Total hostages captured on Oct. 7, 2023: 251
Hostages taken before the Oct. 7 attack: 4, including 2 who entered Gaza in 2014 and 2015 and the bodies of 2 soldiers killed in the 2014 war
Hostages released in exchanges or other deals: 148, of whom 8 were dead
Bodies of hostages retrieved by Israeli forces: 49
Hostages rescued alive: 8
Hostages still in captivity: 50, of whom Israel believes 27 are dead. Netanyahu has said there are “doubts” about the fate of several more.
The hostages in captivity include four non-Israelis: 2 Thais and 1 Tanzanian who have been confirmed dead, and a Nepalese captive.

Israel, US crossed ‘very big red line’ with attack: Iranian FM

Updated 2 min 5 sec ago
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Israel, US crossed ‘very big red line’ with attack: Iranian FM

  • Abbas Araghchi also said that he would travel to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin

ISTANBUL: The US and Israel crossed a major red line in attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday, just hours after a US strike on its nuclear facilities.

“There is no red line that they have not crossed. And the last one, and the most dangerous one, happened only last night. They crossed a very big red line by attacking nuclear facilities,” he said.

Araghchi also said that he would travel to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday following the US strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“I’m going to Moscow this afternoon” and will hold “serious consultations with the Russian president tomorrow” morning, Araghchi said at a press conference in Istanbul on the sidelines of an OIC summit.


Iran missile barrage hits three areas in Israel, 23 hurt

Updated 22 June 2025
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Iran missile barrage hits three areas in Israel, 23 hurt

  • Public broadcaster KAN 11 showed images of a devastated building surrounded by mounds of rubble

JERUSALEM: Three areas of Israel including coastal hub Tel Aviv were hit Sunday morning during waves of Iranian missile attacks, with at least 23 people injured, according to rescue services and police.

Several buildings were heavily damaged in the Ramat Aviv area in Tel Aviv, with holes torn in the facades of apartment blocks.

“Houses here were hit very, very badly,” Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai told reporters at the scene. “Fortunately, one of them was slated for demolition and reconstruction, so there were no residents inside.

“Those who were in the shelter are all safe and well. The damage is very, very extensive, but in terms of human life, we are okay.”

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The Israeli police said in a statement that they had been deployed to at least two other impact sites, one in Haifa in the north and another in Ness Ziona, south of Tel Aviv.

A public square in a residential area of Haifa was left strewn with rubble and surrounding shops and homes have been heavily damaged, AFP photos showed.

Eli Bin, the head of Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom, told reporters that a total of 23 people had been wounded nationwide in the attacks, with “two in moderate condition and the rest lightly injured.”

Two waves of missiles were launched at Israel from around 7:30 am (0430 GMT), the Israeli military said.

Sirens rang across the country, with air defenses activated shortly afterwards, causing loud explosions heard in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Israeli police reported “the fall of weapon fragments” in a northern area encompassing the port of Haifa, where local authorities said emergency services were heading to an “accident site.”

Reporting on missile strikes is subject to strict military censorship rules in Israel, but at least 50 impacts have been officially acknowledged nation-wide and 25 people have been killed since the war began with Iran on June 13, according to official figures.

Tel Aviv, the southern city of Beersheba and the northern port of Haifa have been the three areas most frequently targeted by Iran.

Israel’s sophisticated air defenses have intercepted more than 450 missiles along with around 1,000 drones, according to the latest figures from the Israeli military.


Additional US embassy staff left Iraq due to ‘regional tensions’: US official

Updated 22 June 2025
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Additional US embassy staff left Iraq due to ‘regional tensions’: US official

  • The departures were a continuation of a process that started last week
  • The embassy and the consulate remain operational

BAGHDAD: More personnel from the United States diplomatic mission departed Iraq over the weekend as part of ongoing efforts to reduce embassy staffing amid “regional tensions,” a US official said Sunday after Washington attacked Iranian nuclear sites.
“As part of our ongoing effort to streamline operations, additional personnel departed Iraq on June 21 and 22,” the US official told AFP.
The departures were a continuation of a process that started last week “out of an abundance of caution and due to heightened regional tensions,” he added.
The embassy and the consulate remain operational.
Earlier on Sunday, Washington joined Israel’s war with Tehran as President Donald Trump announced US strikes on Iran’s main nuclear sites.
Iran had threatened to target US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out.
Fears are growing in Iraq over a possible intervention by Iran-backed armed factions, who have threatened Washington’s interests in the region if it were to join Israel in its war against Iran.
Iraq, which has for years been navigating a delicate balancing act between Tehran and Washington, has long been a fertile ground for proxy battles.


Airlines keep avoiding Middle East airspace after US operation in Iran

Updated 22 June 2025
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Airlines keep avoiding Middle East airspace after US operation in Iran

  • Choose other routings such as north via the Caspian Sea or south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia
  • New flight paths result in higher fuel and crew costs and longer flight times

Airlines continued to avoid large parts of the Middle East on Sunday after US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, with traffic already skirting airspace in the region due to recent missile exchanges.

“Following US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, commercial traffic in the region is operating as it has since new airspace restrictions were put into place last week,” FlightRadar24 said on social media platform X.

Its website showed airlines were not flying in the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Syria and Israel. They have chosen other routings such as north via the Caspian Sea or south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia, even if it results in higher fuel and crew costs and longer flight times.

READ: Trump tells Iran ‘peace or tragedy’ in special address after main nuclear sites bombed

Missile and drone barrages in an expanding number of conflict zones globally represent a high risk to airline traffic.

Since Israel launched strikes on Iran on June 13, carriers have suspended flights to destinations in the affected countries, though there have been some evacuation flights from neighboring nations and some bringing stranded Israelis home.

Israel’s two largest carriers, El Al Israel Airlines and Arkia, said on Sunday they were suspending rescue flights that allowed people to return to Israel until further notice. El Al said it would also extend its cancelation of scheduled flights through June 27.

Israel’s airports authority said the country’s airspace was closed for all flights, but land crossings with Egypt and Jordan remained open.

Japan’s foreign ministry said on Sunday it had evacuated 21 people, including 16 Japanese nationals, from Iran overland to Azerbaijan. It said it was the second such evacuation since Thursday and that it would conduct further evacuations if necessary.

New Zealand’s government said on Sunday it would send a Hercules military transport plane to the Middle East on standby to evacuate New Zealanders from the region.

It said in a statement that government personnel and a C-130J Hercules aircraft would leave Auckland on Monday. The plane would take some days to reach the region, it said.

The government was also in talks with commercial airlines to assess how they may be able to assist, it added.