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“INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H1595-H1597 on March 8, 2011.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
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.
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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 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.
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.
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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