Barrister Sara Hossain and 13 other women all over the world have been conferred with the prestigious International Women of Courage Award for their extraordinary achievements in their respective fields.
US Secretary of State John Kerry presented the 2016 Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award to them at the US Department of State on Tuesday. Speaking on the occasion, John Kerry said he knows from his own experience as a prosecutor that success in this kind of endeavor depends not only on knowledge and expertise, but also on the fundamental will to do what is right.
“And one thing about Sara is clear: Her courage, passion, integrity have earned her the trust and respect of clients and human rights advocates the world over,” he said. “Sara Hossain, for empowering women and girls and for giving voice to the voiceless in Bangladesh through your relentless legal advocacy, we honor you as a woman of courage,” said the US Secretary of State.
The Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award annually recognises women around the globe who have demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment, often at great personal risk. Since its inception in 2007, the Department of State has honoured nearly 100 women from 60 different countries.
Sara Hossain, daughter of eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hossain, is a human rights lawyer. She is a barrister in the Supreme Court in Bangladesh and the Honorary Executive Director of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust. Sara played a key role in drafting the country’s first comprehensive legislation on violence against women, which became a law in 2010.
The 13 other 2016 awardees are Debra Baptist-Estrada, Port Commander, Belize Immigration and Nationality, Belize, Ni Yulan, Human Rights Activist, China, Latifa Ibn Ziaten, Interfaith Activist, France, Thelma Aldana, Attorney General, Guatemala, Nagham Nawzat, Yezidi Activist and Gynecologist, Iraq, Nisha Ayub, Transgender Rights Advocate, Malaysia, Fatimata M’baye, Co-founder and President of the Mauritanian Association for Human Rights, Mauritania, Zhanna Nemtsova, Journalist and Activist, Russia, Zuzana Števulová, Director of the Human Rights League, Slovakia, Awadeya Mahmoud, Founder and Chair of the Women’s Food and Tea Sellers’ Cooperative and the Women’s Multi-Purpose Cooperative for Khartoum State, Sudan, Vicky Ntetema, Executive Director of Under the Same Sun, Tanzania, Rodjaraeg Wattanapanit, Bookstore Owner and Co-founder of Creating Awareness for Enhanced Democracy, Thailand and Nihal Naj Ali Al-Awlaqi, Minister of Legal Affairs, Yemen.
