The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been praised for their “moral courage” as they won an award for their work on racial justice, mental health and causes that make a positive social impact.

Harry and Meghan have been named as Ripple Of Hope Award laureates by the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights (RFKHR) organisation for the work they do through their Archewell Foundation.

They join Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky who has also been honoured this year.

The award is given to those judged an exemplary leader across government, business, advocacy or entertainment, and who has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to social change and worked to protect and advance equity, justice, and human rights.

RFKHR is named after Robert Kennedy, a US attorney general and senator who was the brother of president John F Kennedy.

The organisation aims to realise Kennedy’s dream of a more just and peaceful world since his assassination in 1968.

Its president Kerry Kennedy said of the Sussexes: “The couple has always stood out for their willingness to speak up and change the narrative on racial justice and mental health around the world.

“They embody the type of moral courage that my father once called the ‘one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world that yields most painfully to change’.”

Harry and Meghan were chosen because they have “demonstrated a lifelong commitment to building strong and equitable communities, advancing the global dialogue around mental health, and advocating for a better world – both on and offline,” the organisers said.

Since co-founding the Archewell Foundation in 2020 the couple has found “remarkable ways” to progress their “mission to uplift and unite communities”, the citation added.

RFKHR highlighted causes that Harry and Meghan have supported, including supporting Afghan refugees seeking resettlement, to backing paid parental leave in the US, investing in organisations working in Ukraine and partnering with the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People to create the first digital civil rights award.

They were also praised for their work with the World Health Organisation, People’s Vaccine and Global Citizen groups to champion vaccine access globally and raise funds to buy doses for frontline health workers.

Harry and Meghan join a host of high-profile powerful figures who have won the award including former US presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, current president Joe Biden and his vice president Kamala Harris.

Also recognised in past years have been Anglican bishop and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu, Apple chief executive Tim Cook, actor George Clooney, Irish musician Bono, American footballer Colin Kaepernick, US politicians Stacey Abrams and John Lewis and Dr Anthony Fauci, the chief medical advisor to Donald Trump and Mr Biden.