The State Department on Thursday (March 4) announced the winners of this year’s International Women of Courage Awards. Secretary of State Blinken will host a virtual awards ceremony next Monday, March 8, to honor an extraordinary group of women from around the world. Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Yu is among the honorees. In addition, Monday’s ceremony will honor seven Afghan women leaders and activists who have been assassinated.
The State Department’s profile of the honorees describes Wang Yu as a prominent Chinese human rights lawyer who was arrested and imprisoned during the “709 mass arrests” in which Chinese authorities persecuted lawyers and human rights activists. The State Department’s profile states.
“She has handled multiple politically sensitive cases for activists, scholars, farmers and petitioners on a variety of issues, including women’s and children’s rights, religious rights, and freedom of expression and assembly and association.”
Communist authorities launched a nationwide crackdown against hundreds of defense lawyers and human rights activists beginning July 9, 2015, with arrests, interrogations, and politically motivated criminal charges against them. Wang Yu was one of the victims of the “709 crackdown,” in which authorities revoked her lawyer’s credentials.
A State Department press release said Wang Yu “remains under an exit ban and has been harassed, intimidated, searched, and physically assaulted by police since she began working on human rights abuse cases in 2011.”
The honorees also include Burmese activist Phyoe Phyoe Aung. She organized a 2014 protest march from Mandalay to Yangon that was violently suppressed by police, and both Phyoe Aung and her husband were arrested and jailed. He was released from prison in 2016 and has been called a “prisoner of conscience” by Amnesty International. The State Department profile says she “is likely to play a role in shaping the country in the coming years.
This year, in addition to the 14 women from around the world who will receive the award, seven Afghan women leaders and advocates who have been assassinated while working to improve the lives of Afghans will be specially recognized.
Now in its 15th year, the Secretary of State’s International Women’s Courage Awards recognize women around the globe who have demonstrated extraordinary courage and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Since the award’s inception in March 2007, the U.S. Department of State has recognized 155 recipients from 75 countries or territories. U.S. divisions overseas nominate a woman of courage from their respective host countries, and finalists are selected and approved by senior department officials.
Out of an abundance of caution, the awards will be presented virtually this year. In addition to Secretary of State Blinken, who will host the awards ceremony, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden will deliver remarks recognizing these women for their courageous achievements.
Monday’s awards ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. local Time and will be streamed live online through the State Department’s website (www.state.gov).
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