At its 2026 Annual Conference in Copenhagen, the International Bar Association (IBA), the global voice of the legal profession, recognised three legal professionals whose work demonstrates the impact lawyers can have beyond the courtroom: Yusuf Temilola Nurudeen of Nigeria, Zar Li Aye of Myanmar and Charmaine Yap of Singapore.
Presented during the Section on Public and Professional Interest (SPPI) awards breakfast on Thursday 8 October 2026, the three honours celebrated courageous human rights advocacy, sustained pro bono service and young lawyer excellence. Together, the recipients reflect a shared commitment to using legal expertise in the public interest and widening access to justice.
Zar Li Aye - 2026 IBA Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Legal Practitioner to Human Rights
Zar Li Aye, a lawyer and human rights defender from Myanmar's Indigenous Chin community, received the 2026 IBA Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Legal Practitioner to Human Rights for her work advancing access to justice, legal reform and protection for marginalised communities.
A Supreme Court advocate in Myanmar, Ms Aye has combined direct legal representation with public education and law reform. Since the 2021 military coup , she has provided pro bono representation in more than 3,000 cases, with her work contributing to the release of more than 500 people by 2023. Her wider work has addressed discrimination affecting LGBTQIA+ people, women, children, persons with disabilities and Indigenous peoples, while also bringing the situation of lawyers and human rights defenders in Myanmar to international forums, including the United Nations Human Rights Council .
Ms Aye said: 'This recognition belongs not only to me, but also to the courageous lawyers, human rights defenders and communities in Myanmar.'
Read the news release here .
Yusuf Temilola Nurudeen - 2026 IBA Annual Pro Bono Award
Nigerian public interest lawyer Yusuf Temilola Nurudeen received the 2026 IBA Annual Pro Bono Award for his sustained commitment to pro bono legal service and access to justice in Nigeria. Since founding the Foundation for Public Interest Law and Development , also known as The Pro Bono Centre, in 2019, he has built a network of approximately 140 active pro bono lawyers across 16 states. Working across criminal defence, press freedom, digital rights and family law, the Foundation has helped secure the release of more than 780 inmates and supported efforts to reduce excessive pre-trial detention.
Mr Nurudeen said: 'Access to justice must never depend on a person's income or status.'
Read the news release here .
Charmaine Yap - 2026 IBA Outstanding Young Lawyer Award
Singaporean lawyer Charmaine Yap received the 2026 IBA Outstanding Young Lawyer Award , recognising legal excellence alongside service to the community, professional responsibility and a commitment to justice.
Over more than 13 years, Ms Yap has developed a sustained record of advocacy for low-wage migrant workers, including pro bono representation in unpaid wage and abuse claims and policy work across Singapore and the region. Alongside her public interest work, she has practised in complex disputes and white-collar investigations, including Singapore's first deferred prosecution agreement, and has contributed to parliamentary law reform, human rights advocacy and leadership within the legal profession.
Ms Yap said: 'This award affirms our collective responsibility to use our voices.'
Read the news release here .
Three awards, one commitment to justice
Across different jurisdictions and areas of practice, the three recipients share a common thread: using the law to protect dignity, strengthen access to justice and serve communities. Their achievements span pro bono representation, systemic human rights advocacy and a new generation of legal leadership committed to professional excellence and public service.
