UNITED NATIONS Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto will be awarded the prestigious United Nations Human Rights Award posthumously on December 10.

The award will be announced on the occasion of UN human Rights Day, well informed sources at the UN told Dawn on Monday.

According to UN sources, the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Miguel dEscoto Brockmann is in the process of informing President Zardari.

The prize is awarded to individuals or organizations once every five years for 'outstanding achievements in the field of human rights.'

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon will present the award at a ceremony at the world body headquarters on Dec 10.

The prize has usually been given to a group of six winners, although the1993 award was shared by nine individuals and organizations, and the 1978 one by eight recipient's. There have been 47 winners in all.

The prize was established by the General Assembly in 1966, and first awarded on 10 December 1968.