Lilian Gonçalves-Ho Kang You

Lilian Gonçalves-Ho Kang You (born 11 November 1946) is a Surinamese human rights activist who lives and works in The Netherlands.

Early years and education Gonçalves was born as Lilian Ho Kang You in Paramaribo. Her father, a dentist, was from a Chinese Surinamese indentured laborers' family. Her mother had French, African and Portuguese-Sephardi Jewish ancestors. After her high school education in Paramaribo, she left to The Netherlands to study law at Leiden University. After her graduation in 1970, she returned to Suriname and started working for Jules Sedney's government.

Surinamese coup d'état On 25 February 1980, a group of 16 sergeants of the Surinamese Armed Forces (SKM) led by Dési Bouterse overthrew the government of Prime Minister Henck Arron with a violent coup d'état, known as the 1980 Surinamese coup d'état or the Sergeants' Coup.

Both Gonçalves-Ho Kang You and her husband publicly spoke out about the injustices and the lack of democracy. for which she received an award from the Nederlandse Juristen-Vereniging in 2005.

On 7 October 2020, the Dutch Council for Culture presented the recommendation 'Colonial Collection and a Recognition of Injustice' to the Dutch culture minister. This recommendation was written by the Advisory Committee on the National Policy Framework for Colonial Collections, of which Gonçalves-Ho Kang You was chairperson. The recommendation was to return objects unconditionally when the country of origin requests so.

Awards and honors In 2007, Gonçalves-Ho Kang You gave the 13th Mandeville-lecture at Erasmus University Rotterdam. In 2008, the University of Groningen awarded her the Aletta Jacobsprijs, for her social involvement and efforts in the field of human rights and women's rights. In 2020 she received the Gouden Zandloper Oeuvreprijs which recognizes excellence in the legal profession.