The 18th monthly International Women of Courage Awards ceremony was held at the White House on Monday by First Lady Jill Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The IWOC Award is recognized by people from around the world who have “demonstrated extraordinary courage, strength, and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equality, and the empowerment of women and girls, in all their diversity — often at great personal risk and sacrifice,” according to a State Department press release.
Since March 2007, the State Department has presented the IWOC Award to more than 190 individuals from 90 countries.
U.S. diplomatic missions abroad nominate a candidate from their respective host countries. Senior State Department officials select the winners after considering a wide range of backgrounds and factors.
Winners who attend the IWOC ceremony will then participate in the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program and other events in Los Angeles. Volha Harbunova from Belarus and Myintzu Win from Myanmar, two of this year’s winners, both advocate for LGBTQ rights in their respective countries. Below are the biographies that the State Department provided.
Volha Harbunova
Volha Harbunova, a Belarusian human rights defender, stands out among the 2024 IWOC honorees for her unwavering commitment to advocating for the rights of women, children, the LGBTQI+ community, and other marginalized groups in Belarus. Her bravery was evident when she organized women’s marches in Belarus following the fraudulent 2020 elections. Ms. Harbunova was later imprisoned by the Lukashenka regime and subjected to psychological abuse and death threats for allegedly abusing other women while incarcerated.
Upon her release, facing the specter of continued repression, Ms. Harbunova sought refuge in Lithuania. In exile, she joined the cabinet of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of the Belarusian democratic movement. Her responsibilities as the Representative for Social Issues include advocating for the release of political prisoners and offering support to former political prisoners and their families. Additionally, she promotes psychosocial support to the Belarusian community in exile.
Ms. Harbunova spent two decades pioneering activism in support of domestic violence victims as the former head of the NGO Radislava, which was ultimately shut down by the Lukashenka regime. Her organization ran one of the only shelters for children and women in Belarus.
Myintzu Win
Myintzu Win, a veteran criminal defense lawyer from Burma, is another standout among the 2024 IWOC awardees. Her advocacy extends to marginalized communities, including women, children, the indigent, persons with disabilities, and the LGBTQI+ community. Ms. Win, a tireless defender of fundamental rights, has defended over 500 clients pro bono, overcoming significant obstacles in Burma’s legal landscape.
Ms. Win previously served as a legal advisor to the International Development Law Organization. Her commitment extended beyond individual cases. She focused on enhancing the skills of legal professionals and expanding judicial capacity in Burma. Today, she continues her commitment to societal equality and justice as the leader of a legal aid team founded in 2017. The team works with freelance lawyers to provide crucial legal assistance to those in dire need and offers legal training to law students as pro bono lawyers.
The recognition of Volha Harbunova and Myintzu Win with the IWOC Award highlights the significance of their efforts to promote justice, equality, and empowerment for marginalized people. Their stories serve as inspiration for women all over the world as they join the ranks of previous honorees.
