Rohingya woman made KL’s nominee for US award

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The Star Online , Petaling Jaya :
Sharifah Shakirah, who helps improve the lives of Rohingya women in Malaysia, has been nominated as Malaysia’s candidate for the US Department of State’s International Women of Courage award.
In a statement, the US embassy said US Ambassador Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir will host a reception at the ambassador’s official residence on Wednesday (March 13) in conjunction with International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, which is celebrated every March in the United States.
Sharifah, 24, founded the Rohingya Women’s Development Network (RWDN), the first Rohingya women’s group in
Malaysia, in December 2016. Global activist group Free Rohingya Coalition, on its website, said Sharifah was born in Buthidaung Township in Arakan state, Myanmar.
She fled Myanmar along with her family to Malaysia when she was six-years-old to reunite with her father, who was already in the country. She is the oldest of six siblings.
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) website, Sharifah had said she decided to improve the lives of the Rohingya women after listening to a community leader berate women.
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