The awards are given to women from around the globe who have demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equality, and women’s empowerment, often at great personal risk and sacrifice.
Dubbed ‘International Women of Courage (IWOC) Awards’, the event will be hosted by the Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan on Friday.
Under the annual event, First Lady of the United States Melania Trump will deliver special remarks. In addition, Acting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs and Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert will deliver opening and closing remarks.
About Mukasarasi
Mukasarasi dedicated her life after the 1994 Genocide against the Tusti to fighting for a culture of peace and non-violence in Rwanda, as well as promoting the rights of women and girls affected by sexual violence in conflict zones worldwide.
The Founder and Coordinator of the organization Solidarity for the Development of Widows and Orphans to Promote Self-Sufficiency and Livelihoods (SEVOTA), Mukasarasi works with communities across Rwanda to reset human, social, and economic relations destroyed during the Genocide.
In 1996, she was approached by the United Nations team putting together the case against former Mayor of Taba Jean-Paul Akayesu for his role in the Genocide. Overcoming intimidation by community members and the murder of her daughter and husband, likely for her decision to testify at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, she mobilized four members of SEVOTA to testify against Akayesu.
Although rape has been considered an international war crime since 1919, it had never been prosecuted as a war crime until the conviction of Akayesu.
These women’s actions, through Mukasarasi’s leadership, changed the world of criminal justice forever, giving women who were sexually assaulted in conflicts a voice and access to justice.
Since 1994, SEVOTA has reached over 300 genocide rape victims and helped them to reintegrate socially and economically into their communities. They have organized more than 1,300 households to participate in micro-savings clubs and 2,000 youth and children in peace and development clubs.
Mukasarasi is a woman of courage, and has been an important figure in the peace and reconciliation of Rwanda and the protection of women and children across the globe.
Mukasarasi received the John Humphrey Freedom Award by Law and Democracy in 2004; the Outstanding Achievement Award for Rural Women’s Creativity Award from the World Women’s Summit Foundation in Geneva in 1996; and, SEVOTA was honored with the Award for Human Rights for its contribution to the promotion of the rights of vulnerable women by Human Right International in 2011.
Since the inception of IWOC awards in 2007, the State Department has recognized more than 120 women from more than 65 different countries. U.S. diplomatic missions overseas nominate one woman of courage from their respective host countries. The finalists are selected and approved by senior Department officials.
Others who will be awarded are from Afghanistan, Guatemala, Honduras, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mauritania and Thailand
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