The Hill News

Last week, I witnessed ten extraordinary women be honored for their remarkable contributions to advancing human rights, justice, and equality in their countries.  I felt privileged to attend the U.S. State Department’s ceremony to mark the International Women’s Day on March 8th. First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton celebrated ten remarkable women from all over the world with the sixth annual International Women of Courage Awards. Two of the three women who won the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize were also there to mark the day and speak before an audience of over seven hundred policy-makers, diplomats, activists, NGO leaders, and students.
 
As the chair of Meridian International Center’s Council on Women’s Leadership, I’m well versed in the accomplishments of outstanding women.  Our network is working to raise awareness of the importance of promoting women’s empowerment in their communities, nations, and around the world.
 
Still, there were so many things that inspired me about these Women of Courage awardees. They came from places that experienced upheaval over the past year, like Libya, Myanmar, and Pakistan, and from lesser known countries like the Maldives. These women have taken on entrenched interests that seemed insurmountable, raised awareness of injustices that others turned away from, and often endured great risk to themselves and their families.  They came from disparate professions: among them were political leaders and journalists, as well as an architect and a police captain. The majority of the women were in their thirties â€" the architect from Libya is just 26-years old!

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