Brazilian nun receives UN award for contributions to immigrant support
A Brazilian nun, recognized for her 40 years of support for refugees and immigrants, was awarded the Nansen Prize on Wednesday (Oct. 9). This prestigious honor is bestowed annually by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to acknowledge exceptional efforts in protecting displaced and stateless individuals.
At 79 years old, Sister Rosita Milesi, the daughter of impoverished Italian farmers in southern Brazil, is a member of the Scalabrinian Catholic congregation, renowned for its commitment to serving refugees worldwide.
As a lawyer, social worker, and activist, Milesi has defended the rights and dignity of refugees and immigrants of different nationalities in Brazil for four decades.
The UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award was established in 1954 to honor the legacy of Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian humanist, scientist, explorer, and diplomat. The award was announced by the UNHCR in Geneva.
Sister Rosita is among a prestigious group of recipients from around the globe, which includes Eleanor Roosevelt, the inaugural awardee in 1954, as well as Médecins Sans Frontières and Angela Merkel.
She is the second Brazilian to receive the award, following former São Paulo archbishop Dom Paulo Evaristo Arns, who was honored in 1985.
Sister Rosita Milesi leads the Institute for Migration and Human Rights (IMDH) in Brasília, where she has assisted thousands of forced migrants and displaced individuals in accessing vital services, including shelter, medical care, education, and legal aid.
She coordinates RedeMIR, a national network comprising 60 organizations that operates across Brazil, including remote border areas, to provide support for refugees and immigrants.
Her work has significantly influenced the Brazilian legal landscape, particularly in formulating the 1997 Refugee Law and the 2017 Migration Law. These laws established essential protections for displaced individuals and minimized the risk of statelessness, as noted by the UNHCR.
