MUZAFFARGARH, March 16: Women’s right champion Mukhtar Mai is all set to receive a Council of Europe North-South Prize in Portugal on March 19, 2007, according to reports received here.

Portugal President Anibal Cavaco Silva will award the 12th Council of Europe North-South Prize to Mukhtar Mai and to Father Francisco Van Der Hoff of the Netherlands at a ceremony in Lisbon.

Portugal Assembly President Jaime Gama, Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis, Parliamentary Assembly Vice-President Vera Jardim and

North-South Centre President Claude Frey will take part in the official ceremony organised by the Assembly of the Republic and the Council of Europe North-South Centre.

In 2002, Mukhtar Mai was condemned by a village assembly to be gang raped.

Unlike other women who have suffered similar fates, Mukhtar Mai survived, brought the case before official courts and is struggling to win justice for her.

With the compensation awarded to her, she set up a school in her village and founded an organisation for the defence of women’s rights.

The other recipient of the award, Father Francisco Van Der Hoff, describes himself “a small producer from Mexico” and is a committed defender of fair trade. Since 1980, he has worked with indigenous coffee-producing communities. He founded the Max Havelaar Fair Trade Association and a self-sufficient Mexican organisation, UCIRI, which aims to foster commerce mechanisms which do not rely on intermediaries.

The Council of Europe North-South Prize is awarded each year to two people, one from the North and one from the South, who are honoured for their work protecting human rights and strengthening North-South relations. Since 1995, the North-South Centre has awarded 24 prizes to people such as Bob Geldof, Graca Machel, Mary Robinson and Xanana Gusmao.