Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

On 7 March 2019, US Secretary of State Pompeo hosted the Annual International Women of Courage (IWOC) Awards at the State Department to honor 10 women from around the world. First Lady Melania Trump delivered special remarks at the ceremony.

Now in its 13th year, the Secretary of State’s IWOC Award wants to recognize women around the globe who have demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equality, and women’s empowerment, often at great personal risk and sacrifice. Since the inception of this award in March 2007, the State Department has recognized more than 120 women from more than 65 different countries. U.S. diplomatic missions overseas nominate one woman of courage from their respective host countries. The finalists are selected and approved by senior Department officials. For more in this and other awards for women: http://www.trueheroesfilms.org/thedigest/awards/international-women-of-courage-award.

The names of the 2019 IWOC winners are as follows:

• Razia Sultana of Bangladesh
• Naw K’nyaw Paw of Burma
• Moumina Houssein Darar of Djibouti
• Mama Maggie of Egypt
• Colonel Khalida Khalaf Hanna al-Twal of Jordan
• Sister Orla Treacy of Ireland
• Olivera Lakic of Montenegro
• Flor de Maria Vega Zapata of Peru
• Marini de Livera of Sri Lanka
• Anna Aloys Henga of Tanzania

Short bios of the 2019 awardees can be found through the link below.

https://www.state.gov/s/gwi/iwoc/2019/index.htm

This entry was posted on March 11, 2019 at 19:04 and is filed under awards, Human Rights Defenders.

Tags: Anna Aloys Henga, digest, Flor de Maria Vega Zapata, human rights awards, International Women of Courage (IWOC) Awards, Marini de Livera, Melania Trump, Moumina Houssein Darar, Naw K’nyaw Paw, Pompeo, Razia Sultana, US State Department, USA, women human rights defenders, women of courage