Columnist and human rights activist Marina Mahathir was conferred the prestigious Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur (Knight in the Legion of Honour) by the French government today.

French ambassador H.E Christophe Penot presented it to her in a special ceremony at his residence in Kuala Lumpur, in recognition of her contributions to social and political activism in Malaysia, according to a statement from NGO Sisters in Islam.

Marina is widely known for her work in spreading awareness of HIV/AIDS in Malaysia since the ‘90s when she was president of the Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) as well as later on for her work on women and human rights.

"She has also been a staunch defender of gender equality and has lent her voice to the cause of justice for Muslim women. Her work in this area extends beyond Malaysia in her role as a member of the International Advisory Group of Musawah, the global movement for equality and justice in the Muslim family," read the group's statement.

SIS noted that Marina’s influence on human rights activism is well recognised internationally.

She was named Malaysian of the Year in 2010, by the United Nations (UN) in Malaysia and was one of only two Malaysians named by Women Deliver as one of the 100 Most Influential People working for Women and Girls.

Marina was also recently appointed a member of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Advisory Group on Gender, Forced Displacement, and Protection.

According to the SIS statement, Marina said she was very honoured the French government recognised the work of women human rights defenders in Malaysia because they were often under-appreciated.

The 58-year old, well-known for her forthrightness and candour in expressing her views in both mainstream and social media, is one of only eight Malaysians who have received the award. She is also the second recipient from SIS to receive this honour, the first being Zainah Anwar, co-founder of SIS.

Other Malaysian recipients of the Légion d’Honneur include Terengganu Sultan Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and actress Michelle Yeoh,

"The conferment of the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur to Marina could not be more timely as it serves to remind all Malaysians that they can all be agents for change. We at SIS are proud to have Marina in the SIS family, fighting together for justice and equality," concluded the NGO.