Prof. Ališauskienė and Prof. Ruškus Receive Awards for Merits in Human Rights

On 9 December, at the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania, 30 representatives of institutions working in the field of justice were honoured for their significant contributions this year to the defence, strengthening, and nurturing of human rights. Among them were Milda Ališauskienė, Professor at the Department of Sociology of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), and Jonas Ruškus, Professor at the VMU Department of Social Work.

The awards, initiated by the Ministry of Justice and titled “For Merits in the Field of Human Rights – 2024”, are dedicated to the commemoration of International Human Rights Day and the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The award was presented to Professor Milda Ališauskienė of the VMU Department of Sociology, a renowned sociologist who pays particular attention to human rights issues, especially in the area of religious freedom. She is one of the initiators and organisers of the National Human Rights Forum, which has been held since 2018, and she regularly speaks out on issues of religious freedom and the separation of religion and state.

Professor Jonas Ruškus of the VMU Department of Social Work, who was also honoured at the awards, is an active member of the academic community working in the field of destigmatisation of disability, extending his efforts beyond academic research to actively disseminate knowledge and participate in advocacy. He has devoted significant attention to the topic of inclusive education, emphasising its importance as a means to reduce discrimination against children with disabilities or special needs.