Afghan Activist Presented 'Women of Courage' Award
In a ceremony at the State Department on March 11 First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented
Ms. Wazhma Frogh, an Afghan activist against sexual and domestic violence, and seven other women with the Award for International Women of Courage. The award recognizes women who struggle for human rights in their countries.
In a speech, the First Lady spoke of the vital role each honoree played in promoting positive change.
"This is how real change occurs, one determined woman at a time. And change is coming," she said. "The women we honor today teach us three very important lessons. One, that as women, we must stand up for ourselves. The second, as women we must stand up for each other. And finally, as women we must stand up for justice for all."
Secretary Clinton echoed the First Lady, saying, "Our honorees and the hundreds of millions of women they represent not only deserve our respect, they deserve our full support. When we talk about human rights, what I think of are faces like these. What I am committed to is doing everything in my power as Secretary of State to further the work on the ground in countries like those represented here to make changes in peoples' lives. That doesn’t happen always in the halls of government. It happens day to day in the towns and cities, the villages and countryside where the work of human rights goes on."
Ms. Wazhma Frogh is the Afghanistan Country Director for the NGO Global Rights and a dynamic leader in the fight against domestic violence, marital and child rape, and sexual abuse in Afghanistan.
She is a passionate advocate for development and human rights in Afghanistan. Among other areas, she has done significant work toward gender equality and women's rights.
Related News: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's Remarks
Profile of Ms. Wazhma Frogh
