Barbara Oomen, Chair of the Executive Board, was appointed Officer in the Order of Oranje-Nassau on Friday, 25 April, in Middelburg. She received the royal honour in recognition of her years of dedication to human rights education in the Netherlands.
She achieved this in various ways: as Chair of the Platform for Human Rights Education, she successfully lobbied for the inclusion of citizenship in the secondary school curriculum and the establishment of the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights.
As Professor of Sociology of Human Rights at Utrecht University and Dean of University College Roosevelt, she bridged human rights education and research with local practice. This included initiatives such as the Cities of Refuge project and, in collaboration with students, organising the local Four Freedom Awards, recognising organisations and individuals committed to human rights locally.
As a board member of the Roosevelt Foundation, Barbara initiated multiple projects to promote human rights awareness through lectures and educational materials to reach a broad audience. She was also actively involved in various societal and international projects, including the Netherlands Helsinki Committee and the Zeeland Slavery History Platform. Barbara Oomen also contributed significantly by publishing numerous opinion articles during a time when human rights were no longer self-evident to everyone, thereby raising public awareness of their importance.
According to a news release by the Municipality of Middelburg: “Ms. Oomen has been and continues to be a leading and inspirational figure in the circles focused on human rights. Her work has had a lasting impact both nationally and locally, in Middelburg. Ms. Oomen is honoured for her merits as Professor of Sociology of Human Rights at Utrecht University and Chair of the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights, for her achievements in the fields of human rights education, education, and cultural diversity.”
The honour was presented by Mayor Yvonne van Mastrigt in the Citizen's Hall of Middelburg City Hall. Surrounded by family, friends, and colleagues, Barbara was pleasantly surprised.
We wholeheartedly congratulate Barbara on this distinguished honour!
© CPD - Erik Put