A Nigerian human rights lawyer, Oluwafunke Adeoye, has won the Waislitz Global Citizens’ Choice Award 2023 prize of $75,000.

The Waislitz Global Citizen Awards is an annual cash prize totaling $250,000 that recognises the excellence of individuals in their work to end extreme poverty.

The grand prize consists of $100,000 with two additional prizes at $75,000 each, for a total of three prizes.

Adeoye is the Founder and Executive Director of a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Hope Behind Bars Africa, closing the justice gap by providing free legal services and direct support to indigent incarcerated individuals while promoting criminal justice reforms through research evidence-based advocacy, and technology.

In a statement, Adeoye said: “My organisation has supported over 7,000 incarcerated individuals through their numerous interventions, ranging from providing access to justice to providing welfare, support and rehabilitation as well as reformation for ex-inmates.

“With the Waislitz Global Citizen award, I plan to fully launch Justicepadi, a tech platform that will revolutionise legal aid in West Africa and expand the organisation’s work for justice-involved individuals.

“The Waislitz Global Citizen Awards are annual cash prizes totaling $250,000 that recognise the excellence of individuals in their work to end extreme poverty. The grand prize is $100,000 with two additional prizes at $75,000 each for a total of three prizes.

“The awards are presented by the Waislitz Foundation and Global Citizen, and supported by the leading United States (U.S.) and Australian-based cellular medicines company, Mesoblast Limited and Unico Capital Holdings.