A Catholic sister is among the ten winners of this year’s International Women of Courage award.
CATHOLIC SISTER AMONG TEN WOMEN OF COURAGE
Marie Claude Naddaf, a Good Shepherd Sister from Damascus, in Syria, was honoured with the award by her work for social services for women, US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, announced Monday.
The other nine women of courage are two from Afghanistan and one from Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Iran, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
On March 10, the ten women will receive their honours from Ms. Clinton at the US Department of State.
Melanne Verveer, US State Department’s first ever Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, said these ten women have overcome personal adversity, threats, arrest, and assault to dedicate themselves to activism for human rights.
The annual International Women of Courage Award was started in March 2007 by the US State Department to recognize women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in promoting women’s rights.
Sr. Naddaf was awarded the French Human Rights Prize in 2006 for her centre providing hotline assistance to women victims of trafficking and domestic violence.