UNIS/NAR/985
29 November 2006

UNODC, City of Vienna and Austrian Government Present 2006 Civil Society Awards to Anti-Drug and Crime-Fighting NGOs

VIENNA, 29 November 2006 (UN Information Service) - Winners of the 2006 United Nations Vienna Civil Society Awards, which honour grassroots non-governmental organizations and individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the fight against drugs and crime, will receive their prizes in Vienna on Friday 1 December 2006.  

Awarding the prizes will be Kuniko Ozaki, Director, Division for Treaty Affairs,  United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Austrian Federal Minister of Justice Karin Gastinger and Michael Häupl, the Mayor of Vienna.

The 2006 United Nations Vienna Civil Society Award winners are:

Muraad Abdulkarim Saad from Kenya, a campaigner in the field of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS prevention.  His work with vulnerable populations, such as drug users, sex workers and trafficked women, has enabled thousands of people to have access to treatment and preventive services.

Touraya Bouabid, President of the Association Marocaine d'Aide aux Enfants en Situation Précaire (AMESIP), Morocco. AMESIP cares for street children and children addicted to drugs.  It runs detoxification programmes, runs shelters and reintegrates children into the school system. 

Ana Maria Marañón from Bolivia, a campaigner for the protection of high-risk street children in the 8-12 age group.  Disabled herself, she has opened treatment and rehabilitation centres for children suffering from severe behavioural problems and addictions.

The award ceremony will take place at Vienna City Hall, Stadtsenatssitzungssaal, at 11.00 a.m.  on Friday, December 1.

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For information, please contact:

Preeta Bannerjee
Public Information Officer, UNODC
Tel: +43 126060 5764
Mobile: +43 699 1459 5764
Email: preeta.bannerjee@unodc.org