Mike Pompeo and Melania Trump award the 2020 International Women of Courage Prize
For exceptional courage and leadership, 12 women from different countries were awarded the US Secretary of State’s 2020 International Women of Courage Award, Bureau of Education and Culture of the U.S. Department of State informs. Representatives of Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, China, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Syria, Yemen and Zimbabwe are among the laureates.
The annual International Women of Courage (IWOC) Award ceremony at the U.S. Department of State was attended by the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the First Lady of the U.S. Melania Trump. “The women we awarded are not just strong and enduring – they are true inspiration to all of us,” she said, speaking at the ceremony.
For the 14th year, the Secretary of State awards the IWOC to women on the planet who demonstrate exceptional courage and leadership in the struggle for peace, justice, human rights, gender equality, the empowerment of women, often with great personal risk and sacrifice.
Since March 2007 when the prize was instituted, the Department of State has awarded 134 women from 73 countries. This year, the total number of winners has reached 146 from 77 countries.
U.S. diplomatic missions abroad nominate one brave woman from the host country. Finalists are selected and approved by senior officials of the Department of State.
Following the IWOC, 12 laureates will take part in the International Guest Leadership Program (IVLP), visiting various cities across the country, before gathering in Los Angeles to complete their program on March 16.
Finalists of the IWOC 2020 International Award are Zarifa Gafari (Afghanistan), Lucy Kocharyan (Armenia), Shakhla Gumbatova (Azerbaijan), Jimena Galarsa (Bolivia), Claire Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso), Sairagul Sauytbai (Ili-Kazakh Autonomous Region of China’s Xinjiang Province) , Suzanne Liu (Malaysia), Amaya Koppens (Nicaragua), Jalila Hyder (Pakistan), Amina Hulani (Syria), Yasmin Al-Kadhi (Yemen), Dr. Rita Nyamping (Zimbabwe). The short information about current winners is available at the website of the Department of State.
