“Courageous women standing up for their rights inspire a better world,” said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Blinken and First Lady Jill Biden hosted the 15th annual International Women of Courage Award in a virtual ceremony on March 8. The ceremony honored a group of brave women, nominated by U.S. embassies around the world, who have made a difference in their communities, countries, and the world.
These women have dedicated their careers to advocating for justice, human rights, gender equality, and women’s empowerment, often sacrificing their personal safety.
During the ceremony, Blinken emphasized that “it is often women who lead the fight for human rights, democracy, and justice, even in places where women hold much less than half of the political, economic, and social power… And often it is women and girls who are the most vulnerable to human rights abuses.”
The award ceremony recognized women such as Venezuelan Ana Rosario Contreras, who is the president of the Caracas Nurses Association and a frontline fighter for the rights of health workers in a country that suppresses freedom of expression. Under Maduro’s illegitimate regime, those deemed opponents of Nicolás Maduro and his cronies are often imprisoned, tortured, and detained. Despite these threats, Contreras continues to publicly advocate for the rights of health workers, patients, and unions.
Blinken and Biden also presented a posthumous group award to seven Afghan women—public servants, journalists, and activists—who were murdered simply for serving their communities.
“They represent women and girls across Afghanistan who continue to fight for their hard-won achievements and in the face of high rates of violence against Afghan women,” said Blinken.
Both Blinken and the First Lady emphasized that the United States will continue to stand by and advocate for women and girls around the world.
<br“Your fight is our fight and your courage calls us to come together again, and again, and again,” said Biden. “The United States will stand by you. We will choose to lead, to be bold, and to uplift women and girls everywhere that light our way.”
Read about all the recipients of the International Women of Courage Award here.
Source: https://share.america.gov, By Noelani Kirschner