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AMBASSADOR RUSSELL: Good morning,everyone. Mrs. Obama, Deputy SecretaryHigginbottom, all of your excellencieswith us today, distinguished guests, it’s my pleasure towelcome all of you tothe Department of State for the eighth annual presentation of theSecretary ofState’s International Woman of Courage Awards. We’re delighted to have youheretoday to celebrate the 103th anniversary of International Women’s Day, which wemarkevery year by recognizing women who have exemplified exceptional courageand leadership inadvocating for human rights, women’s equality, and socialprogress, often at great personal risk.
Secretary Kerry, unfortunately,is unable to join us today, because the President asked himto travel to theUkraine, but he asked two very important people to represent him here, andweare so grateful to have them. The first is Deputy Secretary of State HeatherHigginbottom,who, along with the First Lady, will recognize our amazing womenof courage. And the secondis Dr. Vanessa Kerry, who is the cofounder and CEOof Seed Global Health, which is an NGOworking in collaboration with the PeaceCorps to improve healthcare in resource-limitedcountries. Dr. Kerry, we’re sohappy to have you here to offer your thoughts on what investing inwomen andgirls means to you and to your father. Thank you so much. (Applause.)
DR. KERRY: Thank you so much forletting me join you today. I’m a poor substitute for myfather, and I – hedeeply regrets that he can’t be here. But I personally am very, verydelightedto be able to play a small part in honoring these inspiring women with you all.I’malso incredibly honored that my father asked me to be included, because Iknow this an eventthat he really deeply appreciates. After his firstInternational Women of Courage Award eventlast year, he was really lookingforward to being back here to celebrate another group ofextraordinary womenwith extraordinary women, like our own First Lady. And unfortunately –well,for many reasons, unfortunately – my father is in Kiev, trying to hopefullyhelp avert whatis a growing disaster.
My father, though, would be thefirst to tell you that he’s had the great honor of beingsurrounded byremarkably strong women throughout his life, really actually from the momenthewas born. His first memory, he would tell you, is actually of holding handswith his mother,my grandmother, when he was just four years old, basicallywalking through what were the ruinsof her family home in a small village inFrance. The home had been completely destroyed by theravages of the war, andmy grandmother actually had escaped on a bicycle the day before theNazisinvaded. She made her way through France, Spain, to Portugal, where she boardeda shipand came to the United States.
My grandmother, though, was justone of many strong women who have influenced myfather’s life. He’d seensimilar resolve in his sister, Peggy, who’s dedicated her career toworking onwomen’s issues with the UN. And he’s experienced the fearless dedicationtoeducation of his sister Diana, who has taught in many parts of the world,including here athome, and in not always the calmest places. And he’s seen itin the countless women he’s metover the course of his career, women like AungSan Suu Kyi, who he visited a little over 15 yearsago when she was stillimprisoned in her own home, or Hassina Syed, a remarkable womanthat he metlast year in Afghanistan. Hassina actually started a trucking company over 10yearsago with just about $500. She now has over 500 trucks, 650 employees, andover 300 of themare women, women who would not have had the opportunities theydo today, even just a shorttime ago.
All of these women have had aprofound impact on my father’s life, and that’s whyadvancing the rights ofwomen and girls has been a priority for him throughout his career, andit’s whyit remains a priority for him today, whether he’s here with us in this room oris in Kiev.
It’s reflected deeply in how he’sraised my sister and me to believe that we could doanything. I knew from thetime that I was in third grade that I wanted to be a doctor. I wasthatcompletely nerdy kid, and there’s photos of me wearing fake glasses and walkingaroundwith a microscope. But it wasn’t until I was 14 and my father took me toVietnam that I knewI actually wanted to work in global health. On that trip, Isaw poverty in a whole differentlight. Much of the population lived in veryrural settings with no transportation, no access tohospitals, no stores, noshoes. Electricity and running water were scarce. Most of the homes, thehealthclinics, were just these concrete blocks with nothing more than thin wisps ofcloth thatserved as doors.
That experience just changed mylife. It’s why after my residency at the Mass GeneralHospital, I ended upfounding Seed Global Health. It’s a nonprofit that partners with thePeaceCorps to send health professionals abroad for a minimum of a year to providenot onlycritical health services but to teach in underserved regions likeMalawi, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Access to healthcare is importantfor everyone around the globe, but it is especiallyimportant for women. Everyday about 800 women and 8,000 newborns die due to complicationsof pregnancyand childbirth. And the vast majority of these maternal and neonatalmortalitiesoccur in resource-limited settings around the world, including herein our own country. The riskto women’s health has additional affects on ahousehold and a community.
Evidence actually shows that ifyou can invest just five dollars per person per year in 74countries around theworld – and these are the 74 countries where 95 percent of the maternalandchild mortality occur, just five dollars – you can see nine times the economicand socialbenefit by the year 2035. Evidence also tells us that children wholose their mother are morelikely to die before the age of two than those whodon’t. And if they do survive, they’re morelikely to be socially andeconomically disadvantaged for the rest of their lives.
I’m incredibly proud to say thatSeeds volunteers, their doctors and nurses, are workinghard every day toprovide more women with reliable healthcare that they need, but also toteachothers to do so as well.
I want to close by telling you aboutone of those volunteers. She’s a remarkable womannamed Maureen, who about ninemonths ago went to northern Tanzania to teach obstetrics andgynecology. On herfirst day on the job, just hours after she arrived, amid unpackedboxes,unpacked suitcases, she was – she didn’t even – at this point, she didn’t evenknow thenames of the people she was working with. She got summoned urgently toan operating room.She walked in the room, she saw a mother lying – basically amother on the table lying there,effectively dying. And being called to theoperation late, she lost the mother and she lost bothbabies; they were twins.She was completely devastated by this experience. We weredevastated, and wejust read about it.
But she didn’t give up, becausethe next day she was back in that operating theater, thistime saving the lifeof a mother with five children who had come in with a ruptured uterusbecauseshe’d been in labor for two days without healthcare. But this time, Maureenactuallychanged the course of a life that day. She also laid the cornerstoneto save many more, byteaching her Tanzanian coworkers the lifesaving procedurethat she had just preformed.
If we want to create a more justand livable world, we need more women like Maureen andher colleagues. We needmore women of courage. And that is why I am so honored to be heretoday withmore women like that, with incredible courage, who I’m happy and thrilled tobeable to celebrate with all of you here on this stage. Your example is showingall of us whatcourage means. And your efforts are opening doors for countlesswomen of courage to come.And I know I speak for my father as well and forcountless women around the world when I saythank you. (Applause.)
AMBASSADOR RUSSELL: Thank youvery much, Vanessa. I know how much it means toyour father that you are hereand I know how sorry he is to miss this because everyone loves thisevent somuch. It’s one of the favorites in our office and across the State Department,so thankyou so much for doing that.
So like the people of America andpeople all over this world, I have had the great, greatprivilege of getting toknow our First Lady over the last five years. She truly embodies the bestofAmerica – determination, courage, persistence, humor, of course, and greatcompassion.And she deploys not only her great talents but her huge, huge hearton behalf of all of us,especially our military families and our children. Shetouches the lives of so many, whether inauditoriums like this with thousands ofpeople or in one-on-one settings such as the mentoringprogram she establishedat the White House.
She is the daughter of a greatwoman and the mother of two extraordinary young womenwho will undoubtedlyfollow her example of making the world a kinder, more just place. Pleasejoinme in welcoming a woman who inspires people, especially the women and girls Imeet allaround the world who always ask me about her, First Lady of the UnitedStates Michelle Obama. (Applause.)
MRS. OBAMA: Thank you. Thank youso much. Thank you all. Well, good morning. I wantto start by thanking my dearfriend, Ambassador Russell, for that very kind introduction and forherphenomenal work as our Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues. And while I knowhowdisappointed Secretary Kerry is to miss this event – by the way, in hisbusy schedule, he triedto call me five times to apologize. (Laughter.) Andfinally, I had to tell him, “I know why youcan’t make it.” (Laughter.) “Stopcalling. Just do your job.” He – I know how heartbroken he is,but we all knowthat he is doing vitally important work right now in Ukraine and we are allsograteful for his outstanding service as our Secretary of State.
And in his absence, we arethrilled to have Deputy Secretary Heather Higginbottom and Dr.Vanessa Kerry,and I also want to recognize their efforts and I am thrilled that they areheretoday. And finally, I want to thank all of you for joining us today for theInternationalWomen of Courage Awards.
This is the sixth time that I’vehad the pleasure of attending this event, and it is one of thehighlights of myyear because I always walk away feeling inspired by these women,determined toreflect their courage in my own life. And I know I’m not alone in thatfeelingbecause every day, with every life they touch and every spirit they raise,these women arecreating ripples that stretch across the globe. They teach usthat if a woman can fight tortureand oppression and get her name on the ballotin Tajikistan, if she can break a glass ceilingand advocate for equality andtolerance as a bishop in Georgia, if she can go door to door,police station topolice station, court to court to combat domestic and child abuse inSaudiArabia – if these women can do all of that, then surely we can summon a fractionof theirbravery in our own lives and communities, whether that means endingwage discrimination inthe workplace or fighting sexual violence on collegecampuses or confronting any of the smallinjustices that we see every day.
That is what this day is about.It’s about understanding that while our circumstances may bedifferent in somany ways, the solutions to our struggles are the same. So when we seethesewomen raise their voices and move their feet and empower others to createchange, weneed to realize that each of us has that same power and that sameobligation. And as I learnedabout this year’s honorees and I thought about howwe could support their work, I realized thatfor most of these women, there isa common foundation for their efforts. It’s a foundation ofeducation.
On stage today, we have doctorsand lawyers, we have a bishop, even a classically trainedmusician. These womenhave spent years in schools and universities equipping themselves withtheknowledge and skills they now use to tackle the challenges before them. Andthat’s a story Ican relate to because it’s the story of my life. And that isthe message I’m sharing with youngpeople across America, urging them to committo their education so that they too can write theirown destiny. That’s thecore idea behind our White House leadership and mentoring program.
And we are so proud to have someour mentees here with us today. I’m going to embarrassyou all. Yes, you muststand – (laughter) – so that we can see you, our young women who areheretoday. (Applause.) You know I’m always proud of you and it’s important, as youknow, foryou to be at this event to see what’s happening around the world, sowelcome.
And as I travel the world,whether I’m in Mexico City or Johannesburg, Mumbai, or later thismonth when Itravel to China, I make it a priority to talk to young people about the powerofeducation to help them achieve their aspirations. I always tell them thatgetting a goodeducation isn’t just about knowing what’s going on in your owncommunity or even in your owncountry, because no matter where we live, we allface so many of the same struggles – fightingpoverty, hunger and disease;ensuring our most basic rights and freedoms; confronting threatslike terrorismand climate change. And in order to solve these problems, we will need toworkwith others around the world. So our next generation will need exposure tosocieties andlanguages and traditions that are very different from their own.
That message of cultural exchangeis the focus of all of my international travel, because thatconnection – theidea that a girl in Dakar shares the same hopes and dreams as a girl from FijiorUkraine or the South Side of Chicago – that reminds us that we’re neveralone in our struggles.And that’s what must compel us to reach beyond our ownborders, whether that means gettingon an airplane or picking up an iPad ormaybe simply writing a letter. There is too much workleft to be done, too manyyoung people who can’t go to school, too many families struggling toput foodon the table, too many women and minorities who are excluded and oppressed.
So none of us can afford to justgo about our business as usual. We cannot just sit back andthink this issomeone else’s problem. As one of our honorees, Zimbabwe’s Beatrice Mtetwa,asshe once said about the fight for progress in her home country, she said, “Thishas to be done.Somebody’s got to do it, and why shouldn’t it be you?” That isthe courage we celebrate today;that willingness to not only ask that questionbut to devote your soul, your entire soul, towardfinding an answer; thatfearlessness to step forward even though you don’t know what liesahead; thataudacity to believe that principles like justice and equality can become a reality,butonly if we’re willing to sacrifice for it. That is the courage that we allmust challengeourselves to summon every single day in our own families, in ourown communities. And if wecan do that, then we won’t just be making adifference for those closest to us, we’ll be creating aripple effect of ourown.
So I want to thank these honoreesonce again for their tremendous bravery, for theirefforts, for their courage,for their work to make change in their own lives and communities andthroughoutthe world. I cannot wait to see the impact you will continue to make in theyearsahead. God bless you all. (Applause.)
And now it is my pleasure to turnthe podium back over to Ambassador Russell to continuethe program.
AMBASSADOR RUSSELL: Thank you, Mrs.Obama. As always, it’s such a pleasure to haveyou here and I really appreciateyou coming over here. It’s really a treat for all of us.
It’s now my great pleasure tointroduce a former colleague and now a new colleague hereat the StateDepartment, who’s a tremendous advocate for promoting the rightsandopportunities of women and girls in all parts of the world, Deputy Secretary ofState HeatherHigginbottom. (Applause.)
DEPUTY SECRETARY HIGGINBOTTOM:Thank you, Cathy. We are very lucky to havesuch a terrific ambassador-at-largefor global women’s issues. It’s a pleasure to honor theseremarkable andcourageous women with our First Lady Michelle Obama, an amazing womanofcourage in her own right. Mrs. Obama, thank you for being here today and for beingsuch apowerful advocate and role model for women and girls all around theworld.
I also want to thank Dr. VanessaKerry for joining us today to help represent her father, andalso for hertremendous leadership on global health issues. And of course, I want to welcomethe2014 International Women of Courage. What an honor it is to be in thecompany of so manyheroes.
I know, as others have said, thatSecretary Kerry is very disappointed that he couldn’t behere. He’s beentalking about this event for weeks. Last year, this ceremony was one of theveryfirst public events that he took part in as Secretary, and he wasenormously moved by it. Andwhile we all wish that he could be here, I’mhonored to play a role in this event today.
The stories of last year’shonorees humbled and inspired me months and months after theirvisit toWashington. And I know that the same will be true today. Year after year,against greatodds and often under dangerous circumstances, these honorees arechanging the world. The 10extraordinary women we’re honoring today representwomen everywhere who have dedicatedtheir lives to pursuing justice andopportunity, and I look forward to sharing their inspiringstories with you injust a few moments.
As you’ll hear, each of the winnersis being honored today for her unique and courageousefforts to advance therights of women and girls, but together they represent countless womenpursuingthose same goals all over the world, women of all ages and all backgrounds, whotakeon this work daily with no expectation of recognition or reward.
Secretary Kerry often talks aboutthe opportunities he has had to meet some of thesewomen on his travels asSecretary of State. During his first week in office, he met with a groupofBurmese women leaders, two of whom were political prisoners who are now givingback to thecountry that once held them back. In Pakistan, he broke the Ramadanfast with a group ofremarkable women who had just completed their educationwith the help of global partnershipprograms and were beginning to carve outcareers for themselves, blazing a path for otheryoung women to follow. And inthe Philippines, he met local women who were helping toorganize the aid comingin for victims of Typhoon Haiyan.
Confronting the obstacles youface head on, doing whatever you can to make a difference –that’s thedefinition of courage. And every one of those courageous women, and certainlythewomen on this stage today, illustrate perfectly why the United States is astrong advocate forthe rights of women and girls, and why gender equality isfront and center in President Obama’sforeign policy. It’s not just becauseit’s the right thing to do; it’s because when women and girlsare safe, able toexercise their universal rights, and empowered to participate fullyindecision-making processes, societies benefit. That’s why every Americandiplomat anddevelopment professional knows it’s their job to integrate genderequality and theadvancement of women and girls into every aspect of theirwork.
It’s also why Secretary Kerrylaunched the Full Partnership Fund last year to help Americandiplomats bettersupport gender equality and women’s empowerment by providingadditionalresources to implement innovative ideas. Among the fund’s inaugural grantsareprojects like women’s entrepreneurial community centers in Pakistan that willgive newand emerging women entrepreneurs access to the mentorship and expertassistance they needto grow their businesses and support their families. Thegrants are supporting State Departmentcollaboration with women leaders in SriLanka and Zambia to ensure that more women speakout, vote, and stand forelection at all levels of government. And they’re also helping radiostationsthroughout Bolivia boost their reporting on women’s issues in that country.
Our goal is simple and it’s onethat President Obama, Secretary Kerry, and the entire StateDepartment aredeeply committed to: We want to see full participation of women intheeconomic, social, and political lives of their countries. You only have to lookaround the roomtoday to see how strong women make the world a better place.International Women’s Dayreminds us that we all have a responsibility toprotect the health, education, welfare, humanrights of women and girls sotheir inherent strength can be realized. Because in too manyplaces around theworld there are people who try to hamstring that strength, to limittheopportunities women and girls have to meet their goals.
The women on this stage are workinghard to change that, and their stories prove that legalhurdles, threats, andeven violence are no match for a woman of courage. It is now my honortointroduce to you these extraordinary women.
Our first honoree is RuslanaLyzhychko of Ukraine. Ruslana is a pop music singer whobecame famous after shewon the 2003 EuroVision song contest. But today, she is knowninstead for hercommitment to the EuroMaidan community. As the peaceful protestsemergedfollowing President Yanukovych’s decision to reject an association agreementwith theEuropean Union, Ruslana joined the demonstrations, spending her dayson streets and hernights sleeping in cold tents. And every evening, in theface of impending police attacks anddeath threats, she performed the Ukrainiannational anthem for the other demonstrators toreinforce the promise of adiverse and unified Ukraine.
One night last December, asRuslana sang, rumors of an impending security sweep by theUkrainian riotpolice began to spread, sending panic through the crowd. Ruslana held thestageand urged protestors to retain their calmness and composure. And whenthegovernment forces arrived to the scene, she reminded them over and over againto respecthuman rights and refrain from violence.
Anyone who was there that nightwill tell you how her rallying cries steadied the nerves ofthe protestors,giving them the courage they needed to successfully withstand more than2,000riot police. They will tell you how crowds cheered as eventually the policeretreated from astandoff that was intense but ultimately peaceful. And theywill tell you how that night will godown in history as one of the EuroMaidanmovement’s most amazing displays of unity anddetermination.
For her steadfast commitment tononviolent resistance and national unity in the fightagainst governmentcorruption and human rights abuses, we name Ruslana Lyzhychko a WomanofCourage. (Applause.)
Roshika Deo was born and raisedto make a difference. When she was a little girl, her fatherused to take herto the squatter settlements to raise awareness of inequality and theimportanceof giving back. As an adult, she has been a vocal advocate for Fiji’s returntodemocracy and especially for the participation of women and young people inthedemocratization process. She was one of the very first candidates in thecountry toannounce her intention to stand in Fiji’s 2014 elections, the firstsince a military coup in2006.
Despite intense criticism,constant threats of rape and violence, and financial difficulties,Roshika andher Be the Change political campaign are inspiring a new generation ofFijianwomen and youth to believe in democracy and the power of civic participation.Roshikahas also been one of Fiji’s most outspoken critics of violence and discriminationagainstwomen and girls, and has publicly stood up for greater governmentaccountability. And in herbold efforts to expand political participation amongall Fijians, Roshika has refused to besilenced or intimidated. For heradvocacy, for political reform in the name of democracy andhuman rights, and acountry free of violence against women, we name Roshika Deo a Woman ofCourage.(Applause.)
Next we have Fatimata Toure fromMali. During the terrorist occupation of northern Mali,Fatimata channeled her22 years of experience advocating for women’s health rights to fighttirelesslyagainst the rampant gender-based violence her community experienced.Whenextremists attacked a hospital in Gao, she didn’t skip a beat before assistingvictims inrelocating and getting the safety and medical attention theydesperately needed. As the conflictcontinued, Fatimata provided counseling andshelter for victims of rape and forced marriage andpublicly denouncedperpetrators of gender-based violence. Extremists threatened herdaily,ransacked her office, and robbed her at gunpoint. But even as her own home wasunderassault, Fatimata hid beneath her bed, took out her mobile phone, andcontinued documentingacts of violence against women.
As the current head of theRegional Forum on Reconciliation and Peace in Gao and directorof an NGO, shecontinues advocating for justice and women’s rights still today. She hasdedicatedher life to ensuring that not only do victims receive the care theyneed, but also that the abusethey suffer is not forgotten or ignored. Forunwavering courage and tireless work to defendwomen’s rights against forcedmarriage and gender-based violence in Gao during theoccupation of northernMali, we name Fatimata Toure a Woman of Courage. (Applause.)
On a different continent and in adifferent conflict, Dr. Nasrin Oryakhil watched as theTaliban took control ofAfghanistan. Against all warnings, she continued to work as an OB/GYNbecauseof her deep belief in the need for women’s access to maternal health services.Sheprovided emergency obstetric care to women and even founded the firstcenter for obstetricfistula repair in Afghanistan. Sometimes in the evening,Taliban members would barge into herclinic and beat her, demanding her to stopworking and start praying. But she continuedworking, praying only that Godwould bring change to her country. One night, after the Talibanassaulted her,Dr. Nasrin went on to perform 17 surgeries.
Her indisputable strength hasincreased the recognition for women in medical professionsin Afghanistan, andtoday, Dr. Nasrin continues to set a strong example for Afghan womenaspresident of the Afghan Family Health Association, which is implementinginnovativereproductive health programs, providing hotlines for youth sheltersfor women, and conductingoutreach sessions in high schools to raisereproductive health awareness among students. Forher tireless efforts topromote women’s health and provide maternal health services inAfghanistan, wename Dr. Nasrin Oryakhil a Woman of Courage. (Applause.)
Our next awardee, Dr. MahaAbdulla Al Muneef, has worked tirelessly to spread awarenessabout domesticviolence and victims of child abuse. She is the executive director oftheNational Family Safety Program, or NFSP, which she founded in 2005 to combatdomesticviolence and child abuse in Saudi Arabia. Hers is the firstorganization in Saudi Arabia toaddress these issues. And under Dr. Al Muneef’sleadership, the NFSP has developed advocacyprograms, reported on domesticviolence and child abuse statistics in Saudi Arabia, andprovided services forvictims of abuse.
Their hard work was rewarded inAugust 2013 when, after a multiyear effort, the Council ofMinisters adoptedlandmark legislation to address these issues. Dr. Al Muneef and the NFSPplayedan instrumental role in drafting and advising on the Protection from Abuse law,whichdefines and criminalized domestic violence for the first time in SaudiArabia.
Unfortunately, Dr. Al Muneef wasunable to be here today, but for promoting awareness ofdomestic violence andchild abuse in Saudi Arabia, and championing support for victims ofabuse, wename her a Woman of Courage. (Applause.)
Last year on this stage, wehonored the memory of a tremendous young Indian womanknown simply as Nirbhaya.This tragedy sparked outrage and inspired people all over the worldto cometogether to say no more – no more looking the other way when gender-basedviolencehappens, no more stigma against victim or survivors.
That is also the message of Laxmifrom India. When Laxmi was 16, her friend’s brotherpursued her romantically.When she refused his advances, he threw acid in her face, inflictinghorriblepain and scarring her for life. Acid attacks are committed almost exclusivelyon women,particularly on young women. Many of the victims feel they have nochoice but to withdrawfrom society or even commit suicide, and they’re morecommon than you might realize, in partbecause it’s such an easy weapon to getyour hands on. Until recently, anyone could walk into astore and buy a literof acid as cheaply and as easily as a bottle of window cleaner.
But after her attack, Laxmibecame a tireless campaigner against acid attacks. Thanks to herhard work andtremendous diligence, Laxmi was successful in petitioning the supreme courttoorder the Indian Government to regulate the sale of acid and to makeprosecutions of acidattacks easier to pursue. And she continues to push forprogress still today. For fearlessadvocacy on behalf of victims of acidattacks and for bringing hope to survivors of gender-basedviolence anddisfigurement, we name Laxmi a Woman of Courage. (Applause.)
Our next honoree is BishopRusudan Gotsiridze of Georgia. Bishop Gotsiridze is a minorityof a minority: awoman working in a predominantly male religious field and a religiousminorityoperating in a society dominated by one faith. But that doesn’t stop her frombravelyadvocating for gender equality and for the equal protection of allGeorgia’s minorities. Shetakes every opportunity she can to contribute togender equality, anti-gender-basedviolence, and other women’s initiatives.
With the help of her church, shehas spearheaded a number of efforts to promotetolerance and equality inGeorgia. This includes the establishment of interfaith dialoguesaimed atprotecting the freedom of religious expression in Georgia, especially for theMuslimcommunity. She was also one of the first members of the religiouscommunity to condemn aviolent counter-protest to the International Day AgainstHomophobia and Transphobia rally inTbilisi. For bravely advocating on behalfof tolerance, opportunity, and equality for all herfellow citizens, we nameBishop Rusudan Gotsiridze a Woman of Courage. (Applause.)
Since the Tajik Civil War endedin 1997, Oinikhol Bobonazarova has worked tirelessly to drawattention towomen’s rights, torture and detention centers, and the plight of Tajikmigrantlaborers. In September 2013, Ms. Bobonazarova became the first-ever femalecandidatefor president of Tajikistan when the only Islamic political party in centralAsianominated her as its standard bearer. Despite an unsuccessful bid, hernomination shatteredone of the highest of glass ceilings and set an importantprecedent for women in politics.
In the time since, she hascontinued to speak out against torture and has beeninstrumental in working toestablish the first independent prison-monitoring program sinceprisons wereclosed to outside access in 2004. For fearlessly advocating the rights of womenandlabor migrants and fighting to end torture in Tajik detention centers, wename OinikholBobonazarova a Woman of Courage. (Applause.)
As the president of one ofGuatemala’s high-risk court tribunals, Judge Iris Yassmin BarriosAguilar hasmade a career of taking on the most difficult and politically sensitive cases.Theseare cases that deal with high-profile corruption, with organized crimeand drug trafficking,and with human rights abuses occurring during Guatemala’s36-year internal armed conflict.More often than not, she has had to wear abulletproof vest when she left the courthouse atnight.
In 2013, Judge Barrios pushed allfear aside and agreed to serve as the presiding judge inthe genocide trial offormer Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt. The trial was historic. Itwasthe first time that a former head of state had ever been tried for genocide inhis homecountry by the national judiciary. By taking on that case andinitiating the judicial processagainst Efrain Rios Montt, Judge Barrios gave avoice to thousands of Ixil-Mayan victims. Shealso provided an important legalprecedent for genocide cases worldwide. For demonstrating thatjustice isattainable for all of Guatemala’s citizens and through her perseverance, courage,andpersonal conviction, consistently fighting to end impunity in Guatemala, wename Judge IrisYassmin Barrios Aguilar a Woman of Courage. (Applause.)
And finally, today we honorBeatrice Mtetwa, Zimbabwe’s most prominent human rightslawyer. For more than20 years, Beatrice has fought injustice, defended press freedom, andupheld therule of law. Beatrice has been harassed, assaulted, and arrested, but sheremains asteadfast advocate for human rights, women’s equality andadvancement, and social justice.
And like Judge Barrios, sheaccepted difficult cases that other lawyers have declined for fearof politicalreprisal. In fact, she has defended two previous International Women ofCourageawardees. She has also represented politicians, civil society activists, andlocal andinternational journalists, including British and Americancorrespondents arrested while coveringZimbabwe’s 2008 election. For fearlesslydefending victims of human rights abuses andchampioning the rule of law inZimbabwe, we name Beatrice Mtetwa a Woman of Courage. (Applause.)
Please join me in one more roundof applause and gratitude for the amazing work of these10 extraordinary women.(Applause and cheers.) We could do this all day, couldn’t we? (Laughter.) It’slike the most wonderful, humbling, inspiring event to be a part of.
It is now my pleasure tointroduce Dr. Nasrin who will accept the awards on behalf of thisgroup. Thankyou. (Applause.)
DR. ORYAKHIL: In the name of God,First Lady Mrs. Obama, Madam Deputy SecretaryHeather Higginbottom, AmbassadorCathy Russell, Dr. Vanessa Kerry, honorable anddistinguished guests, ladiesand gentlemen, on behalf of the International Women of Courage,I would like toexpress my sincere thanks and appreciation for providing me this opportunitytostand here today in front of you and speak a few words.
I’m truly humbled to representthese courageous sister of mine whose incredible andheartfelt stories are notonly a source of inspiration for me but also a flaming torch ofkindness andmaking a difference in the life of every conscientious individual.
Dear honored guests, as a doctorin the field of medicine, specifically women health issues, Ihave been verymuch involved in the life of a bringing of child – a boy or a girl – a humanbeingwho become the center of future generation and eventually the ideal ofprogress and civilizationfor the mankind.
Dear guests, it is vital to comethis realization that women are half of the population,world populations, andmarginalizing a girl or a woman in any form of – or shape meansdisintegratethe sacred institution of family or our society. Empowering a womanmeansempowering a society and generation.
I personally experienced this –that when the Afghan woman, under very harsh conditions,were deprived of theirbasic and God-given rights for a long period of time. However, withgreatdesire and unparalleled bravery and the support of help and the internationalcommunity,they were able to change the tide against them and gain numerousachievement in the past 12years in different aspects of life.
While there are obstacles andchallenges such as lack of security, rule of law, domesticviolence, andcorruption still very much remain, but the hope and aspiration of theAfghanwomen are greater than these challenges. I believe by convening, gathering likethis, andreceiving support from all members of international community, thehope of the women aroundthe world one day would be materialized when they findthemselves in an environment that ittruly recognizes and appreciates the realessence of being a woman and a mother.
At the end, I would like toexpress my gratitude to the Government of the United States,Department ofState’s U.S. embassies around the world, Meridian International Center, andothervolunteers for facilitating and organizing this important and memorableevent.
Thank you for your time. And nowI would like to introduce my colleague from India, Ms.Laxmi to recite herpoem. Thank you. (Applause.)
MS. LAXMI: Thank you so much.This is my first poem.
You hold the acid that charred mydreams. Your heart bore no love. It had the venomstored. There was never anylove in your eyes. They burn me with caustic glance. I am sadthat yourcorrosive name will always be the part of my identity that I carry with thisface. Timewill not come to my rescue. Every Thursday will remind me of you.
You will hear and you will betold that the face you burned is the face I love now. You willhear about me inthe darkness of confinement. The time will be burdened for you. Then youwillknow that I am alive, free and thriving and living my dreams.
Thank you so much. (Applause.)
AMBASSADOR RUSSELL: Well, noweveryone sees why we love these awards so much andwhy this event is reallyjust the favorite of everyone at the Department.
I have to say that Dr. Nasrinyour remarks were beautiful, and I had the chance to visit youat yourhospital. And I have to – when you see her here, it’s kind of hard to imaginethe hospitalthat she works in. She does amazing work. But when you go there,in many cases they havemore than one patient in a bed, because they’re socramped for space. And the work she does isso miraculous, and so I just reallywant to thank you so much for what you do.
And Laxmi, that poem wasbeautiful and I just – your spirit, obviously, has not been crushedby whathappened to you, and I just thank you so much for what you did.
Anyway, on behalf of Mrs. Obama,Deputy Higginbottom, and International Women ofCourage, I want to thank youall so much for joining us. If you would all please remain seatedjust for amoment, we’re going to take a quick group photo, and then we’re going to allowourguests here to exit the stage. So I’m sorry to do that to you, but if youcould just sit for just asecond, I would appreciate it, and then we’ll do aquick photo.
AMBASSADOR RUSSELL: Okay. So you’re all very welcome to join us in the Ben FranklinRoom. We have areception in honor of the awardees, so if you’d like to join us for thereception,I think exit in the front of the – yes, in the front of theauditorium. So thank you all. We wishyou a very happy International Women’sDay.
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