Journalists for Human Rights recognizes Margaret Atwood with JHR Award for Extraordinary Achievement at Night for Rights 2026, presented by TD Bank

TORONTO, Oct. 15, 2026 /CNW/ -- Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) is honoured to announce that Canadian literary icon Margaret Atwood will receive the JHR Award for Extraordinary Achievement at JHR's annual gala Night for Rights, presented by TD Bank. The event takes place tonight, Thursday, October 15, 2026, at Toronto's Arcadian Court.

Ms. Atwood is being recognized for a body of work that has used storytelling to defend human rights and give voice to those silenced by oppression. She will also deliver the keynote address.

A novelist, poet and essayist, Ms. Atwood is one of the most celebrated literary figures of our time, and her influence on how we think about power, freedom and dissent continues to grow. She has published more than 50 books of fiction, poetry, critical essays and graphic novels, read in more than 45 countries. Her work has repeatedly confronted authoritarianism and the erosion of rights, themes that run through The Handmaid's Tale and its Booker Prize-winning sequel The Testaments, as well as Alias Grace, The Blind Assassin and the MaddAddam trilogy.

Beyond her fiction, Ms. Atwood has long advocated for writers facing censorship and persecution around the world, making her a steadfast ally of the human rights community. Her many honours include the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, the Franz Kafka International Literary Prize and the PEN Center USA Lifetime Achievement Award.

"Margaret Atwod's work endures because the questions it asks about power, freedom and dissent keep demanding answers," said Rachel Pulfer, President, Journalists for Human Rights. "She has given generations of readers the language to recognize threats to their rights and she has been a steadfast ally to those who report the truth at great personal risk. There is no one more deserving of this recognition."

Joining Ms. Atwood on stage at Night for Rights will be JHR President Rachel Pulfer, TD Bank Senior Manager - Corporate & Public Affairs Grant McDonald, journalist and JHR Ambassador Lisa LaFlamme; Lyse Doucet, Chief International Correspondent at the BBC; Afghan-Canadian writer and filmmaker Jamal Aram; JHR African Programs Director Mustapha Dumbaya; and auctioneer Frances Frippe. This year's gala will be emceed by Nyokabi Macharia, a Kenyan performing artist and filmmaker who is flying in from Nairobi exclusively for Night for Rights.

JHR is deeply grateful to Presenting Sponsor TD Bank, whose leadership and lead support make Night for Rights 2026 possible. TD's commitment to JHR helps the organization train journalists to report on human rights issues ethically and objectively in more than 16 countries.

JHR also thanks Partner Sponsors UPS Canada, CBC and Power Corporation of Canada, and Gold Sponsors the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) and Google, for their support this year.

JHR extends its thanks to The Canadian Press, Toronto Star and CPAC, the official publicity sponsors of the event; to Media Sponsor Postmedia; and to Hospitility Sponsor Uber Canada.

Our thanks to CNW Group for sponsoring this announcement.

About Journalists for Human Rights

Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) trains journalists worldwide to cover human rights issues ethically and objectively. For 24 years, Canada-based JHR has worked with over 25,000 journalists around the world. Currently, JHR operates sector-wide programs in over 16 countries. For more information, please visit www.jhr.ca.

SOURCE Journalists for Human Rights (JHR)

For media inquiries, please contact: [email protected]