Mary Ann Torres Receives 2026 Elizabeth Taylor Human Rights Award
Mary Ann Torres Receives 2026 Elizabeth Taylor Human Rights Award
Given biannually, the Elizabeth Taylor Human Rights Award is supported by amfAR and the International AIDS Society
RIO DE JANEIRO, July 30, 2026 — Mary Ann Torres, a Venezuelan lawyer and AIDS policy expert, is the recipient of this year’s Elizabeth Taylor Human Rights Award, presented during the International AIDS Society’s International AIDS Conference. The award, supported by amfAR, recognizes those who’ve achieved breakthroughs or displayed exceptional courage in their efforts to advocate for human rights within the HIV movement and serves as a lasting tribute to amfAR’s Founding International Chairman, Dame Elizabeth Taylor.
Until recently, Torres served as Executive Director at the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO), a global network dedicated to advancing the rights, health, and wellbeing of communities affected by the HIV epidemic until it was forced to close last year in part due to the decline in global health funding.
amfAR CEO Kyle Clifford:
“We’re all, in the HIV movement, indebted to Elizabeth Taylor’s extraordinary dedication to a world without AIDS. amfAR is thrilled to announce this year’s worthy recipient, Mary Ann Torres, whose two decades of advocacy on behalf of vulnerable communities have brought us closer to universal access to treatment and prevention.”
2026 Elizabeth Taylor Human Rights Award recipient Mary Ann Torres:
“I am deeply honored to receive this award, which recognizes the important global human rights work of ICASO. It is all the more poignant in today’s divided political environment, where we are reminded that progress is never certain. Dame Elizabeth understood this and she never wavered in her bold advocacy with and for people affected by HIV.
“She was and continues to be an inspiration to the generation of AIDS activists like me who refused to give up fighting the stigma and discrimination people with HIV continue to face, protecting marginalized communities, and making sure no one is left behind. This award and Dame Elizabeth’s spirit gives me strength to continue our shared fight.”
About amfAR
amfAR is a leading nonprofit dedicated to advancing scientific discovery and transforming global health with a primary and enduring commitment to ending the HIV/ AIDS epidemic. Serving as a catalyst for breakthrough science, amfAR supports innovative research in areas where viruses and the immune system play a defining role, including cancer, neurological conditions, autoimmune disorders, and other viral diseases. Through strategic investments, global research partnerships, and evidence-based policy leadership, amfAR helps accelerate discoveries that improve health and save lives. Since 1985, amfAR has raised more than $950 million and awarded in excess of 3,900 grants to scientists worldwide. Learn more at www.amfar.org.
Media Contact:
Robert Kessler; Associate Director, Program Communications
(212) 806-1602
robert.kessler@amfar.org
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