Human Rights Award recognises Dr Fiona Crockford for strengthening international First Nations relations
Community First Development is pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2022 Bill Armstrong AO Human Rights Award is Dr Fiona Crockford. The Award is presented in recognition of Dr Crockford’s volunteering with First Nations’ communities in Australia and her commitment and efforts to human rights, facilitating the strengthening of relationships between First Nations’ peoples.
The panel recognised the opportunities created by Dr Crockford for dialogue between First Nations. Dr Crockford has created pathways for First Nations peoples to contribute to strategic discussions led by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) within Australia and in Papua New Guinea (PNG). As a result, First Nations peoples have advocated first-hand for the value and sustainability of community led solutions.
Dr Crockford is a former General Manager and active volunteer at Community First Development. Over the past decade, her professional career has been with DFAT in PNG and the Torres Strait. Fiona is now in her third posting in the region and is First Secretary Australian Development Assistance in Buka, in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville PNG.
Beyond the choice to work professionally in extremely challenging environments, what stands out is her ongoing work to genuinely connect with the local community where she is based and to go well beyond standard expectations, to benefit people in whatever way she can.
A theme that flows through her life is linking First Nations’ people in PNG, Bougainville and Australia to strengthen culture, resilience and healing. Recent examples of this include work to promote the Women’s Peace Movement in PNG, including setting up a healing dialogue between First Nations’ Bougainville and Australian women.
Fiona’s 2022 NAIDOC work was to set up a collaboration between didjeridu player Tjupurru Fabila, hip hop and rap artist Jake Fabila, PNG artist David Bridie, the PNG Wantok Musik label and young Bougainville artists. The result, new song tracks and films to be shown across the Pacific and Australia.
In her personal time Fiona teaches Yoga, she provides access to yoga for local people, enabling them to enjoy the benefits and to potentially set up their own teaching practice. With her personal interest and academic qualifications in Anthropology she has made strong connections with and supports the Melanesian Institute, a research hub and cross-cultural outreach organisation in PNG.
About the Award
The Bill Armstrong AO Human Rights Award identifies and honours those who are doing outstanding work with First Nations people and communities, exemplifying self-determination in practice.
At Community First Development, we consider Bill Armstrong to be one of the greatest humanitarians of our time. With over 60 years of experience working in human rights, both within Australia and internationally, Bill has brought much knowledge and guidance to Community First Development’s work in First Nations communities. His influence is still greatly felt today.
Bill spent 20 years with our organisation before retiring in 2019. He spent 13 of those years as Co-Chair. With great respect for Bill, we created on his retirement the Bill Armstrong AO Human Rights Award to keep his legacy alive and strong while highlighting the great work of others.
Learn more about previous Award recipients here.
The Award was presented from a studio in Australia, to Dr Crockford who attended the event via video link from the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea alongside HE Jon Philp – Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea.
Image: from left, Stephanie Harvey CEO Community First Development, Karen Milward Chair Community First Development, Bill Armstrong AO.
Dr Fiona Crockford