The International Women of Courage Award recognizes women from around the globe who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equity and equality, and the empowerment of women and girls, in all their diversity – often at great personal risk and sacrifice.
This year’s first recipient is Benafsha Yaqoobi, although she now lives in exile, remains a tireless advocate for Afghans with disabilities.
Fawzia Karim Firoze is a Bangladeshi Supreme Court advocate who has fought for the rights of marginalized groups for more than three decades.
In Belarus, Volha Harbunova is a human rights defender who has dedicated her life to advocating for the rights of women and other marginalized groups in Belarus.
Ajna Jusić from Bosnia-Herzegovina advocates for the social and legal visibility of children born of rape during war and against the associated social stigma.
Myintzu Win is a Burmese criminal defense lawyer who champions the rights of marginalized communities in Burma.
Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello is a Cuban political dissident and leading proponent of human rights and religious freedom in Cuba and has founded and led human rights and democracy organizations.
Award recipient Fátima Corozo is a youth advocate in Esmeraldas - Ecuador’s most violent city.
As Gambian parliamentarians currently debate repealing the 2015 ban on female genital mutilation and cutting, Fatou Baldeh, a survivor of FGM/C, is advocating to protect women and girls from such mutilations.
Fariba Balouch is a London-based Iranian human rights activist. As a result of her activism, Iranian authorities have threated her life and detained her son and brother in Iran.
Rina Gonoi of Japan took on the issue of sexual harassment against women in the military.
Rabha El Haymar from Morocco successfully fought to obtain recognition of her traditional marriage to spare her daughter a life of marginalization as an undocumented child.
Agather Atuhaire is a renowned journalist, lawyer and social justice activist who advocates for human rights, public accountability, and the rule of law in Uganda.
The Madeleine Albright Honorary Group Award went to nine women who were among the 222 political prisoners released from prison in February 2023 and the many other Nicaraguan activists who continue to fight for democracy and human rights.
As Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “The United States stands with every woman of courage working to build greater stability, greater equality, and greater opportunity.”
