U.S. Honors ‘International Brave Women’

The U.S. State Department presented its annual International Women of Courage Award during a ceremony at the White House on Monday.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and First Lady Jill Biden will host the event, with this year’s awards honoring countries from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Myanmar, Cuba, Ecuador, Gambia, Iran, Japan, Morocco, Nicaragua of women and uganda.

The award, established in 2007, is given to “women who have demonstrated extraordinary courage, strength and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equity and equality, and the empowerment of women and girls,” according to the U.S. State Department.

Among this year’s recipients are nine women from Nicaragua, who were part of a group of political prisoners released in Nicaragua last year. The State Department said activists “continue to fight for democracy and human rights under authoritarian regimes.”

Bangladesh’s Fawzia Karim Firoze was honored for her work as a Supreme Court advocate fighting for the rights of marginalized groups.

Ajna Jusić from Bosnia and Herzegovina was selected in recognition of her work with children born as a result of rape during the war.

Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello of Cuba was recognized for her leadership in the movement for human rights and religious freedom in Cuba.

Agathe Attuhair was honored for his work in promoting human rights and the rule of law in Uganda.