Human rights defenders play a critical role in driving social change, often working at personal risk to advance justice and accountability.
The Human Rights Tulip is an annual award of the Dutch government that recognises and supports individuals who promote and protect human rights around the world. Since 2008, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has honoured human rights defenders whose work brings visibility to pressing and often underreported issues.
In South Africa, the Embassy of the Netherlands in Pretoria awarded the 2025 Embassy Human Rights Tulip to Monique Tamara van Vuuren.
A culturally diverse South African with Hawequa Khoi ancestry, van Vuuren is a survivor of sexual and gender-based violence who has transformed personal trauma into sustained advocacy. Her work focuses on advancing the rights of women, young people, LGBTQ+ communities, and adolescent girls’ sexual and reproductive health.
She has contributed to a wide range of organisations, including Rape Crisis, Salesians Life Choices, the University of the Western Cape Gender Equity Unit, the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, YearBeyond, and the Queer Feminist Film Festival of the Triangle Project. Across these platforms, her work centres on awareness-building, education, and fostering solidarity within communities.
Van Vuuren’s advocacy has reached audiences across schools, universities, radio, and television, including national platforms such as The Big Debate, where she has used storytelling as a tool to engage difficult conversations and amplify marginalised voices.
Her recognition through the Human Rights Tulip reflects both the impact of her work and the continued relevance of grassroots human rights advocacy in South Africa’s social landscape.