September 7, 2011 News:The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has sent a congratulatory message to the President and Founder of the Geneva Call, Elizabeth Decrey-Warner, for being the recipient of the prestigious Hessen Peace Prize 2012.

Muhammad Ameen, chair of the MILF Secretariat, has made the congratulatory message in behalf of the MILF Central Committee, Elizabeth Decrey-Warner, a frequent visitor to the MILF in Mindanao, will receive the award on September 28 in Weisbaden, capital of the State of Hessen in Germany, for the recognition of her unique role in Geneva Call in bringing armed non-state actors to comply with international humanitarian standards, such as ban on anti-personnel landmines.

Ms Decrey Warner said on hearing the news that “it is really all Geneva Call’s team who are honoured – as I am - by the award, which recognizes all their hard work, dedication, determination and creativity.

The MILF is a signatory to the Deed of Commitment for the ban on the use anti-personnel landmines way back in 2005.

Geneva Call is a neutral and impartial humanitarian organization dedicated to engaging armed non-State actors (NSAs) towards compliance with the norms of international humanitarian law (IHL) and human rights law (IHRL). The organization focuses on NSAs that operate outside effective State control.

Geneva Call also works towards compliance of armed groups with international standards in the protection of children in armed conflict, and the prohibition of sexual violence.

In 2005, Elisabeth Decrey Warner was nominated for Switzerland as one of the 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize, and in 2006 she was awarded the International Society for Human Rights Prize. In January 2012, Geneva Call was named by Global Journal in its Top 100 Best non-governmental organisations.

Previous winners of the Prize have included John Hume, His Holiness the Dalaï Lama, Hans Blix, Lakhdar Brahimi and Sadako Ogata (the full list of previous winners can be found at the bottom of the German language press release) Ms Decrey Warner said on hearing the news that “it is really all Geneva Call’s team who are honoured – as I am - by the award, which recognizes all their hard work, dedication, determination and creativity.