The Roger E. Joseph Prize

In 1978, the first Joseph Prize was presented to Victor Kugler, who risked his and his loved ones’ lives to shelter Anne Frank and her family.

For the past 45 years, the Joseph Prize has been presented to outstanding individuals, organizations, and institutions whose work fulfills the highest ethical and humanitarian values of our tradition.

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Nancy Northup proudly shares the 2023 Roger E. Joseph Prize with the audience at New York Ordination on May 7. Northup is President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which was awarded the Prize in recognition of their global efforts to advance and protect reproductive rights as fundamental to human rights for the dignity, equality, health, and well-being of every person worldwide.

Recipients of The Roger E. Joseph Prize (1978-2022)

The 2023 Roger E. Joseph Prize is presented to the Center for Reproductive Rights at New York Ordination ceremonies on May 7.

The Center for Reproductive Rights is a global human rights organization of lawyers and advocates who ensure reproductive rights are protected in law as fundamental human rights for all.

Northup stated, “It is vitally important, following the fall of Roe vs. Wade and increasing attacks on these rights, that religious leaders speak up. And it is also important that in your roles as spiritual counselors that you provide caring support for those making profound life decisions. Together, we can build the world where people are able to make decisions about their religious lives and their reproductive lives without coercion or discrimination.”

The Roger E. Joseph Prize citation, which accompanied its honorarium, states:

The 2023 Roger E. Joseph Prize is presented to the Center for Reproductive Rights, a global human rights organization…

• Which, since 1992, has used the power of law to advance and protect reproductive rights as fundamental human rights for the dignity, equality, health, and well-being of every person worldwide;
• Whose unparalleled advocacy work and jurisprudence have transformed how reproductive rights are understood by courts, governments, and human-rights bodies;
• Whose successful efforts have been instrumental in securing legal victories on reproductive rights issues, including access to lifesaving obstetrics care, contraception, and safe abortion services, as well as preventing forced sterilization and child marriage;
• Which has litigated and won groundbreaking reproductive rights cases before the highest courts around the world;
• Whose work helps ensure adolescents can exercise their rights to make informed decisions about their sexuality and reproductive health and can access the necessary medical services;
• Whose dedication to assisted reproduction, including IVF, surrogacy, and embryo and gamete regulations, seeks to destigmatize infertility for the 186 million individuals impacted by it and ensure equitable access to infertility care;
• Which seeks to ensure that access to quality and respectful maternal health care is available to all in efforts to reduce health disparities and improve outcomes by holding governments accountable for their human rights obligations and addressing discrimination and failures to respect women’s autonomy and physical integrity;
• And which works to eliminate barriers to contraceptive services and information—and guarantee contraception for all, free from coercion, discrimination, and violence—so all women can control their reproductive lives and their futures.