The award is part of the wider Human Rights Tulip program of the Government of the Netherlands, which includes Embassy Tulip Awards organised by 26 Dutch embassies around the world, as well as the Central Human Rights Tulip Award: a flagship international award awarded in The Hague during the Human Rights Day celebration in December.

In Malaysia, the Embassy works with partners to support and promote Freedom of Expression, Equal Rights for Women & Girls and Freedom of Belief. This award is meant to stimulate human rights advocacy, research and to promote the protection of human rights in those three priority areas.  It also aims to support and strengthen the civil society network and increase awareness and appreciation of the work of human rights defenders by the general public.

The winner of the Embassy Tulip Award Malaysia will receive:

o    EUR 5,000 to use for your human rights work;
o    A commemorative bronze tulip sculpture and recognition and visibility via the Embassy;
o    Access to media and storytelling training with opportunities to network and showcase their work with other Embassy Tulip winners from around the world;
o    Automatic nomination into the global Central Tulip with other Embassy Tulip winners. Out of 26 Embassy Tulip winners, 5 will be selected as Central Tulip finalists to participate in a 4-Day Fellowship in the Netherlands and 1 final Central Tulip winner will receive a grand prize of EUR 50,000.

Nominations are open to:

•    Human rights defenders, informal groups, networks, movements, and civil society organisations that demonstrate a strong commitment to human rights through work that is locally rooted and relevant. You may nominate yourself or your own organisation.
•    Their work is preferably linked to one of the human rights priorities of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands: Freedom of Expression, Equal Rights for Women & Girls and Freedom of Belief.
•    Nominees must be legal residents of Malaysia and carry out their activities anywhere within Malaysia. 
•    Multiple nominations for the same nominee will not give the nominee an advantage; each nominee will be considered once.

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Malaysia will launch an open call for nominations. Civil society actors, partners, or members of the general public may nominate human rights defenders or human rights organisations active in Malaysia.

In order to nominate a human rights defender, please submit a motivation letter of no more than 500 words answering the following questions: 

•    Which past or current human rights project that the nominee contributed to are they the proudest of, and what was their role and impact?
•    How does the nominee’s work align with the three Human Rights priorities of our Embassy; Freedom of Expression, Equal Rights for Women & Girls and Freedom of Belief?
•    If awarded, how would the nominee use the 5000 EUR to advance their human rights work? 

Embassy Tulip Nominees will be assessed based on the following criteria:

•    Impact and beneficiaries: The nominee’s work has made a meaningful contribution to the promotion or protection of human rights, including through concrete changes in people’s lives, communities reached, or increased awareness and advocacy.
•    Courage and risk: The nominee demonstrates commitment and courage in advancing human rights, including where relevant in contexts of repression, resistance, restricted civic space or personal, legal, digital, reputational, financial or physical risk.
•    Innovation and creativity: The nominee uses creative, adaptive or effective approaches to address human rights challenges in their context, including through new methods, partnerships, tools, narratives, or mobilisation strategies.
•    Community ownership and partnerships: The nominee works with affected communities and relevant partners in a way that is inclusive, locally rooted and responsive to community needs.
•    Sustainability and potential for further impact: The nominee’s work has the potential to continue, grow or inspire wider change.

The Embassy Tulip winner will be announced in September, and the award ceremony will take place around International Human Rights Day in December.  

To nominate a human rights defender or organisation, please submit a completed motivation letter answering the three questions to KLL@minbuza.nl by Friday, 14th of August 2026. 

The nomination should include the contact details of the nominee; nominator’s contact details; a short description of the nominee’s human rights work; and a motivation letter of max. 500 words explaining why the nominee fits the Embassy Tulip Award based on the questions provided. 

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us in case of any questions about the award and the process through KLL@minbuza.nl.