The annual International Women of Courage ( IWOC ) Awards will be held on Tuesday in honor of and honor the women who have portrayed “exceptional courage, strength, and leadership” from around the world.
The department of state will host the 19th version of the ceremony. Since its founding in 2007, the Secretary of State’s IWOC Award has honored more than 200 people from more than 90 nations. Senior leaders choose the final honorees from the nominees that US embassies around the world submit to their particular host countries.
The prestigious award is also expected to be given to female student officials who played a significant role in the protests against previous Bangladeshi Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina’s state, last year. The” Madeline Albright Honorary Group Award,” named in honor of the first woman to hold the title of US Secretary of State, may be presented to these people in recognition of their contributions to the action.
Despite threats and real risk, the US state section emphasized their brave part in the protests in July and August of 2024, where they fought against harsh repression.
In Bangladesh in July-August 2024, a heroic group of women were essential drivers in the undergraduate protest movement against aggressive suppression. They fought back against security forces and female protestors despite threats and violence, showing incredible bravery, according to the state department, according to PTI.
These people defied repression efforts, even when the Internet was completely offline, when their male counterparts were arrested, it added.
The women’s heroism and selflessness in the midst of doubt were the very definition of courage.
The Bangladeshi undergraduate leaders are the only Bangladeshi students to receive the IWOC Award this year:
- Namini Wijedasa ( Sri Lanka ) is an award-winning journalist who has covered the civil war and corruption in Sri Lanka. Her focus changed over time to tackling corruption through analytical investigating, bringing important accountability problems to the forefront, and inspiring the next generation of reporters, according to the state department. Wijedasa remained firm in her quest of clarity and justice despite restrictive legislation that has hampered press freedom.
- Amit Soussana ( Israel ): As a survivor of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, Soussana rose to prominence as a prominent advocate for the hostages still held in Gaza. She has used her personal experience to advocate for those who are still in prison, raising awareness of the stress that ladies, gentlemen, and children go through. As a prosecutor and part of the Israel Bar Association, she has used her personal experience to raise awareness of the pain experienced by children and women.
