Secretary of State Marco Rubio and First Lady Melania Trump will host the 19th annual International Women of Courage (IWOC) Awards on April 1 at the Department of State. This event, which recognizes women worldwide for exceptional courage and leadership, will be accessible to pre-registered media and streamed live on the Department's homepage and YouTube channel.
The IWOC Awards have celebrated over 200 women from more than 90 countries since 2007. Recipients are nominated by U.S. diplomatic missions overseas and selected by senior Department officials. After the ceremony, awardees will engage in the International Visitor Leadership Program and additional activities in Los Angeles.
Among the 2025 awardees is Henriette Da from Burkina Faso—a sociologist and human rights defender. "Her professional journey has seen her as a socio-anthropological researcher and a founding member of Burkina Faso’s Association for Religious Tolerance."
Amit Soussana from Israel is honored for "raising awareness of the conditions faced by hostages of Hamas" through her own experiences. Major Velena Iga of Papua New Guinea has made significant contributions to combating violence against women and human trafficking.
Angelique Songco from the Philippines leads efforts to protect the Tubbataha Reefs. Georgiana Pascu of Romania has devoted her career to advocating for the rights of institutionalized individuals with disabilities.
Zabib Musa Loro Bakhit from South Sudan has over a decade of experience in championing women's rights in conflict settings. Namini Wijedasa from Sri Lanka has been acknowledged for her journalism, focusing on human rights and anti-corruption.
Amat Al-Salam Al-Hajj of Yemen highlights the plight of Yemeni detainees. She emphasizes, "We are speaking of civilians who have not participated in the conflict."
Lastly, the Women Student Protest Leaders of Bangladesh will receive the Madeleine Albright Honorary Group Award for their role in protests against repression.
Media interested in interviews with awardees are directed to send requests to the Department's designated contacts. The hashtags #IWOC2025 and #WomenOfCourage are encouraged for updates on social media regarding the awards.
