Leilua Lino
Leilua Lino is a Samoan human rights activist, who works to raise awareness of gender-based violence and violence against children in Samoa, through her own personal experience. She was a finalist in 2018 for the International Children's Peace Prize. In 2019, she was the first recipient of a Commonwealth Innovation for Sustainable Development Award (Peace).
Biography[edit]
Lino comes from Asau in Savaii.[1] At the age of nine years old, Lino was raped by her father, who she took to court seven years later, leading to his imprisonment in 2018 for twenty-nine years.[2][1] In order to support her after the rape, from 2011 she attended Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG), a non-governmental organisation that offers help and advocacy to survivors.[3] They supported Lino to file her police report against her father.[2] She came into contact with SVSG through her church.[4] Lino is an ambassador for Samoa Victim Support Group (SVSG) and raises awareness about abuse through schools and community programmes.[2] In 2017 she created the first of a number of peace gardens, in order to help young people process trauma.[5][2]
In 2018, she was nominated for and became a finalist in the International Children’s Peace Prize, coordinated by the KidsRights Foundation.[3][6] She was also nominated by the Samoa Observer as a 'Person of the Year' for 2018.[3][1][4] In 2019 she was presented with a Commonwealth Innovation for Sustainable Development Award by Prince Harry.[5][7] She won in the Peace category.[3] The award recognised her contributions to supporting survivors of child sexual abuse.[5]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Mika, Talaia (31 December 2019). "2019 People of the Year: Leilua Lino". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ a b c d @kathykijiner (September 18, 2019). "Shot this video outside my house in Majuro on my way from Marshall Islands 🇲🇭 to NY to join the #globalclimatestrike. If you're in NY, join Pacific leaders and our RMI Youth team Sept 20 @Foley Square" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b c d "Leilua Lino". 2019. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Leilua Lino - Helping Survivors of child abuse to find peace - Samoa Victim Support Group". 2021-10-28. Archived from the original on 2021-10-28. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
- ^ a b c "Duke of Sussex presents innovation awards at Commonwealth 70th anniversary garden party | The Commonwealth". 2021-04-11. Archived from the original on 2021-04-11. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
- ^ "Pacific Women Leaders: Lina Chang". 2021-10-20. Archived from the original on 2021-10-20. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
- ^ "The journey of a survivor – Leilua receives Commonwealth Innovation award". ECPAT. 2019-07-09. Retrieved 2021-10-28.