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Dean Mutua was White House guest of the Obamas for role in RFK Human Rights Award

Dean Makau Mutua with Ambassador Johnnie Carson, the Assistant Secretary of State
for African Affairs.

University at Buffalo Law School Dean Makau W. Mutua was a guest of President and Mrs. Barack Obama at a ceremony in the White House on November 23 for his role as one of five international and national human rights experts who selected this year's Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award.

The award, presented by Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy, was given to Magodonga Mahlangu and her organization, Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA). Dean Mutua and the four other judges chose Ms. Mahlangu and WOZA for organizing over 60,000 Zimbabweans in an ongoing campaign of non-violent action against injustice, exploitive social conditions and oppression of women's rights.

Mutua – who was named Dean of the UB Law School in 2008 – is recognized as one of the world's foremost authorities in human rights law. He is an internationally known scholar who works on human rights issues around the world and serves as the chairman of the Kenya Human Rights Commission.

The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award was established in 1984 to honor courageous and innovative human rights defenders throughout the world who stand up against injustice, often at great personal risk. The award includes a cash prize of $30,000 and on-going legal, advocacy and technical support through a partnership with the RFK Center.

Ms. Mahlangu has been arrested over 30 times in the course of her work as a human rights defender. Along with WOZA co-founder Jenni Williams, she has led campaigns with WOZA supporters to address many of the most crucial human rights issues facing Zimbabwean women, including domestic violence and rape, the right to food and education for children, the rights to participation and the right to association.