We are thrilled to announce that our Human Rights Award’s Rising Stars winners for 2024 are: Eran Nissan and Rawya Handakalo.

Rawyah Handakalu

A dynamic, articulate, leader Rawyah is at the head of the newly formed national taskforce Combating Crime and Violence in Arab Society.

Rawya is a trained lawyer with an MA in public policy from Haifa University. She worked in the past as a consultant for the NIS 10 billion 922 national economic programme for developing Arab society and is recognised by Calcalist (leading financial paper in Israel) as ‘one to watch’. Over her professional career, she has been involved in regional council work and with NIF grantees Adalah and Kayan.

Rawyah, a Palestinian Citizen, has been campaigning on gender-based and political issues since she was a small child.

Eran Nissan

Eran is a young, impressive vision-orientated Jewish Israeli leader and the CEO of Mehazkim, a digital activism movement that reaches 1.5 million Israelis a month. Through on-the-ground protest and digital campaigns, Mehazkim is working effectively to strengthen the progressive, democratic base in Israel.

Eran is also part of a group working on new visions for political horizons in Geneva. In 2019 Eran interned in a congressional office in Washington D.C. as part of the ‘New Story Leadership’ programme.

He holds a B.A in political science & Philosophy, and an M.A. in Emergency & Disaster Management.

A qualified medic, Eran provided immediate emergency room relief in the wake of October 7th.