The laureates

Blamassi TOURÉ is originally from Côte d’Ivoire and has lived in Tunisia since 2004. An accomplished human rights advocate, his work focuses on some of the major development challenges facing our societies, including international migration, the defense of women’s rights, and the rights of people with disabilities.

Blind since the age of 2, his circumstances led him, at the age of 14, to begin his activism by working to defend the rights of people with disabilities in Côte d’Ivoire. He then continued his studies in Tunisia, where he specialized, among other things, in the topics of migration, development, and disability management. Furthermore, he has been a key figure in the fight against racism and the promotion of social cohesion in Tunisia, particularly with regard to the discrimination faced by sub-Saharan Africans.

Throughout his career, he has contributed to the defense of human rights through various initiatives and organizations. For example, he served as president of the Association of African Students and Interns in Tunisia (AESAT), through which he established projects and partnerships that defend the interests of African students and promote development and a new form of governance in Africa. He was also a member of the expert group of the EuroMed Tunisia network, which works to strengthen initiatives in support of judicial reform, women’s rights and gender equality, individual freedoms, and the establishment of independent institutions. Finally, more recently, he had the opportunity to work at the Tunisia office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), where he promoted human rights and social inclusion through sports.