Filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy awarded by British human rights organisation for her documentaries

Two-time Academy Award winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has been awarded by British human rights organisation The People’s Portfolio for "inspiring leadership, great courage and compassion for fellow human beings" through her documentaries.

The organisation is founded by Platon, a lauded British portrait and documentary photographer. It aspires to create a visual language that breaks barriers, expands dignity, fights discrimination, and enlists the public to support human rights around the world.

Each year, the organisation hosts a fundraiser to help with their future work and projects and the highlight of the event is a human rights defender being awarded for showing extraordinary leadership. Obaid-Chinoy is receiving this year's award for her directorial efforts in creating extraordinary movies about women’s rights in Pakistan.

Previous winners include Nobel Peace Laureate Dr Denis Mukwege and Lonnie G. Bunch III, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.

The People’s Portfolio is holding their annual fundraiser this year on December 8 at 6pm where Platon will be celebrating Obaid-Chinoy and her achievements as well as debuting a short film that he has made on her. The fundraiser aims to generate donations to lift the voices of human rights leaders around the world and give them the resources and tools to amplify their essential stories in 2021and beyond.