University Communications
Emory University
Atlanta, GA 30322

Release date: Nov. 8, 1999
Contact: Elaine Justice, Assistant Director, 404-727-0643, or ejustic@emory.edu

Human rights Scholar/Activist An-Na'im Receives Dutch J.P. Van Praag Award for His Work

Emory University's Abdullahi An-Na'im, Candler Professor of Law and an internationally known scholar/human rights activist, has been named the recipient of the 1999 Dr. J.P. Van Pragg Award from the Dutch Humanist Ethical Society in The Netherlands for his work in promoting human rights.

An-Na'im is being cited for his role "as a broker between Western advocates of universal human rights and the Islamic world and for his academic work that encourages dialogue and understanding on human rights between secular and religious leaders." A specialist in comparative and Islamic law, An-Na'im connects his scholarship with social activism; currently he is directing two international research projects that are encouraging social and legal reforms.

His research project on "Women and Land in Africa" has just received its second grant from the Ford Foundation ($318,000 in 1996, $208,000 in 1999) for its grassroots investigation of women's access to land ownership in seven African countries. An-Na'im also is directing a concurrent Ford Foundation funded project ($371,000) on Islamic family law that includes a global mapping of legal practices and socioeconomic profiles of up to 40 countries. The project also encompasses in-depth case studies of Islamic family law in two countries: Egypt, a Muslim-led society; and the United States, where Muslims are a growing minority.

An-Na'im will travel to The Netherlands in December to accept the Van Praag Award and give a lecture on his work.

For information on the Islamic Family Law Project visit http://www.law.emory.edu/IFL. For more information about An-Na'im's research contact Elaine Justice, Office of University Communications, at 404-727-0643, or ejustic@emory.edu.

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