The Sophie Prize for 2006 was awarded to the Argentinean lawyer and human rights activist Romina Picolotti. Ms Picolotti, born in Argentina, is a lawyer and specialises in international law. She has done groundbreaking work in linking problems of environmental destruction to the fight for basic human rights. Romina Picolotti has given poor and disempowered rights-based protection against exploitation and environmental destruction.

The jury awarded the Sophie Prize for 2006 to Romina Picolotti with the following reasoning; she has:

• Fought for human rights, the environment, and democracy.
• Illustrated how exploitation of nature may led to exploitation of human rights.
• Worked persistently to give poor an opportunity to claim their rights.
• Challenged multinational companies and financial institutions, including the World Bank, on the negative social and environmental effects of their operations.

Read the Jury’s statement in full