[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 34 (Tuesday, March 8, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H1595-H1597]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from
Wisconsin (Ms. Moore) for 5 minutes.
Ms. MOORE. I rise today as the Democratic cochair of the Women's
Caucus to celebrate the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day.
Mr. Speaker, I'm so pleased to join millions in our Nation and around
the world in commemorating this International Women's Day. We celebrate
courageous women in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Sudan, and
elsewhere, who continue to fight the good fight at great risk to their
own lives in the face of being ostracized and persecuted by their
families and communities, for women's abilities to be included in the
societies in which they live.
We celebrate tremendous women here at home in the United States who
have done much to advance the ability of women to work, to vote, to go
to school, and to run for and hold elective office. As a woman who is
able to serve in Congress today, I know that I stand on the shoulders
of these women giants who have sacrificed so much in the past.
But we must also recognize that much needs to be done right here in
the United States. In our country, women make only 77 percent of the
paycheck that a male would make doing the same job. We know that even
after 100 years it is too soon to declare: Mission accomplished.
Recent news reports in Afghanistan show efforts in Afghanistan to
pass legislation that would shut down domestic violence shelters.
Turning our attention closer to home, in Haiti, we find that after the
devastating earthquake, UNICEF has found that the rapes in Haiti are at
an all time high. But we've also been fixated in recent weeks by the
protests and push for democracy sweeping the Middle East. And women
have been leading the charge.
We must also acknowledge the shameful plight of hundreds of thousands
of mothers-to-be around the globe who die because of pregnancy or
child-related complications. It's shameful that the simple act of
childbirth remains a death sentence for hundreds of thousands of women
and girls around the world.
{time} 1420
We must recommit ourselves to the Millennium Development Goal to
reduce dying from pregnancy or childbirth.
Last, I had the honor of attending the State Department's Women of
Courage ceremony to honor 10 women.
They were:
Maria Bashir, a prosecutor general in Afghanistan. She handles cases
on behalf of women victims of domestic abuse.
Nasta Palazhanka, who at age 20 has led peaceful protests and called
attention to the plight of families of political prisoners.
Henriette Ekwe Ebongo from Cameroon, a political activist and
publisher of Bebela, she spent a lifetime advancing press freedom,
human rights, good governance, and gender equality.
From China, Guo Jianmei, a lawyer. Founder of the Women's Law Center
at Peking University, she helped to create a corps of lawyers to defend
public interest cases, especially affecting women and other vulnerable
groups.
From Cuba, Yoani Sanchez. She has an international following for her
blog to provide insight into life in Cuba and to expand information
flow and free expression throughout Cuba.
Agnes Osztolykan, elected to the Hungarian Parliament in 2010, the
only female Roma Member of Parliament in Hungary.
From Jordan, Eva Abu Halaweh has dedicated her career to advocating
for
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the vulnerable people of Jordan, including women at risk of becoming
victims of so-called ``honor crimes.''
From Kyrgyzstan, we have Roza Otunbayeva, who emerged as central
Asia's first female head of state and head of government in a
traditional, majority Muslim country.
From Mexico, the first woman ever appointed to the position of
Assistant Attorney General, Marisela Morales Ibanez, a leader in
bringing to justice some of Mexico's most dangerous and notorious
criminals.
Last but certainly not least, from Pakistan, Ghulam Sughra has become
her village's first female high school graduate and the first teacher
at the first school for girls.
Thank you so much for these women and thanks for International
Women's Day.
[From the Department of State, United States of America, Mar. 8, 2011]
2011 International Women of Courage Awards Ceremony
100th Anniversary of International Women's Day
THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE AWARDS
On the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day,
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State will present the
fifth annual International Women of Courage Awards to ten
women from around the world. This is the only award within
the U.S. Department of State that pays tribute to outstanding
women leaders worldwide. It recognizes their courage and
leadership as they fight for social justice, human rights,
and the advancement of women.
Today, The Secretary of State will pay tribute to this
year's ten honorees from Afghanistan, Belarus, Cameroon,
China, Cuba, Hungary, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, and
Pakistan. They were chosen from among eighty-seven
exceptional women nominated by U.S. Embassies worldwide for
their extraordinary work in advancing human rights.
2011 International Women of Courage Awards Ceremony
HOSTED BY
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
11:00 a.m.
Dean Acheson Auditorium--Department of State
WITH SPECIAL GUEST
First Lady Michelle Obama
PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State
Mrs. Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
The Honorable Melanne Verveer,
Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues
The Honorable Julia Gillard, M.P., Prime Minister of Australia
Mr. Lloyd Blankfein, Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs
AWARD RECIPIENTS
Ms. Maria Bashir, Afghanistan
Ms. Nasta Palazhanka, Belarus*
Ms. Henriette Ekwe Ebongo, Cameroon
Ms. Jianmei Guo, China
Ms. Yoani Sanchez, Cuba*
The Honorable Agnes Osztolykan, Hungary
Ms. Eva Abu Halaweh, Jordan
Her Excellency Roza Otunbayeva, President of the Kyrgyz Republic
Ms. Marisela Morales Ibanez, Mexico
Ms. Ghulam Sughra, Pakistan
*Unable to attend awards ceremony
Maria Bashir
AFGHANISTAN
Maria Bashir is Prosecutor General of the Attorney
General's Office in Herat province, Afghanistan, the only
woman to ever hold such a position in Afghan history. She
handles cases on behalf of women victims of domestic abuse.
Her work on behalf of victims of-self-immolation and her
unparalleled efforts to jail abusive husbands has put her own
life at risk, yet she perseveres to make Herat a more just
and safe place and remains steadfast in her commitment to the
future of Afghanistan.
Nasta Palazhanka
BELARUS
Nasta Palazhanka joined the opposition youth movement in
Belarus at the age of 14. Now 21, she is a key figure in the
opposition youth organization ``Malady Front'' (Young Front).
Ms. Palazhanka has led peaceful protests an called attention
to the plight of the families of political prisoners. She was
at the heart of the ``tent camp'' set up in downtown Minsk to
demonstrate against the fraudulent results of the 2006
presidential polls, and she has selflessly worked on behalf
of charitable causes to improve the human rights situation in
her country.
Henriette Ekwe Ebongo
cameroon
Regarded as one of the most influential journalists in
Cameroon, Henriette Ekwe Ebongo, political activist and
publisher of Bebela, has spent a lifetime advancing press
freedom, human rights, good governance, and gender equality.
The publisher of Bebela, a weekly independent newspaper, she
was instrumental in the founding of a freer and more
independent media in Cameroon. Despite constant persecution
over 30 years, ``la Maman'' (as her fellow journalists call
her) continues to be committed to fight ``until things move
in the right direction.''
Guo Jianmei
CHINA
Born in an impoverished area of China, Guo Jianmei has
become the country's best-known female lawyer. Founder of the
Women's Law Center at Peking University, Ms. Guo helped
create a corps of lawyers to defend public interest cases,
especially in areas affecting women, migrants, and other
vulnerable groups. When Peking University appeared to bow to
official pressure, and closed her center, Ms. Guo responded
by establishing her own law firm. The memory of the plight of
the women in her village drives her to continue to fight to
improve the lives of the underprivileged.
Yoani Sanchez
CUBA
Blogger, technological innovator, and emerging civil
society leader Yoani Sanchez has attracted an international
following for her blog, Generacion Y, which gives readers
unprecedented insight into life in Cuba. She has worked to
improve the ability of ordinary Cubans to access and
disseminate information, and to expand information flow and
free expression throughout Cuba. In 2009, Sanchez was
detained and roughed up by Cuban state security agents. She
lives with daily fear that she could be jailed and accepts
that she will always pay a price for her work as long as the
current governmental system continues.
Agnes Osztolykan
HUNGARY
Defying the odds, Agnes Osztolykan was elected to Hungarian
Parliament in 2010, and is the only female Roma Member of
Parliament (MP) in Hungary. Ms. Osztolykan speaks out for
Roma people in the face of open hostility, fearlessly
advocating for the equal rights and inclusion of Roma in
Hungarian society. As deputy chair of the Education
Committee, she contributes to Hungary's new education
regulations, ensuring that Roma inclusion remains a priority
of government programming. Ms. Osztolykan is also a strong
promoter of civil society in Hungary, who tirelessly pushes
for better education and opportunities for children.
Eva Abu Halaweh
JORDAN
Eva Abu Halaweh has dedicated her career to advocating for
the vulnerable people of Jordan, including women at risk of
becoming victims of so-called ``honor crimes.'' As Executive
Director of the Mizan Law Group for Human Rights, Ms. Halaweh
has developed a legal team that provides free legal advice
and counseling, often the only option for those seeking
justice or a remedy to their plight. Ms. Halaweh's work has
influenced the government's actions to prevent torture and
prosecute such violations and her advocacy opposing the
government's use of administrative detention to ``protect''
women at risk of so-called ``honor crimes'' has changed the
lives of many.
Roza Otunbayeva
KYRGYZSTAN
Stepping forward as a leader in the second effort of her
country to shed authoritarian rule, Roza Otunbayeva emerged
as Central Asia's first female head of state and head of
government in a traditional, majority Muslim country. In the
face of a collapsing, corrupt government and economic
stagnation, President Otunbayeva succeeded in binding
together a fractious opposition into a provisional government
structure able to check the struggles for power from stirring
up wider divisions in society. She has defied the
expectations of the international community in building the
first functioning democracy in Central Asia.
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Marisela Morales Ibanez
MEXICO
The first woman ever appointed to the position of Assistant
Attorney General for Specialized Investigation of Organized
Crime (SIEDO) in 2008, Marisela Morales has been a leader in
bringing to justice some of Mexico's most dangerous and
notorious criminals. Her fearless efforts to stand up against
corruption have generated confidence in SIEDO among the
public at large. Under Ms. Morales' leadership, SIEDO has
succeeded in coordinating efforts with the Secretariat of
Defense, the Secretariat of the Navy, the Secretariat of
Public Security, and the Secretariat of Governance, as well
as with the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, and the embassies of
other governments. Ms. Morales has been instrumental in
creating the first Federal Witness Protection Program in
Mexico. With her guidance and support, SIEDO indicted the
first federal trafficking in persons case. With her
oversight, SIEDO and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
have cooperated to reunify children of trafficking victims
with their mothers in the United States.
Ghulam Sughra
PAKISTAN
Born in rural Sindh Province, Ghulam Sughra became her
village's first female high school graduate and the first
teacher at the first school for girls. Despite being
challenged by villagers who refused to enroll their daughters
in school, she initiated a public awareness campaign. She
came to realize that economically empowered women would have
more authority to allow their daughters to attend school so
she focused on ways that would enable local women to develop
their own sources of income. Her efforts led to the creation
of the Marvi Rural Development Organization (MRDO), an NGO
focused on creating community savings funds and raising
awareness of education, health and social development issues.
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