International Women of Courage Award

In March 2007, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice established an annual International Women of Courage Award to recognize women, from anywhere in the world, who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women's rights or the advancement of women in society. According to the US Department of State website, the award created by Miss Rice is the only one of its kind which “pays tribute to emerging women leaders worldwide, and offers a unique opportunity to recognize those who work in the field of international women's issues.”

On March 10, 2010, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama served as joint hostesses for these annual awards at the Department of State.

The ten women honored with the 2010 International Women of Courage Award include:
1. Shukria Asil, of Afghanistan, for promoting government responsiveness to the needs of women.
2. Colonel Shafiqa Quraishi, of Afghanistan, for integrating women into the government and police force.
3. Androula Henriques, of Cyprus, for fighting human trafficking.
4. Sonia Pierre, of Dominican Republic, for ending discrimination based on country of origin and the human rights abuses of statelessness.
5. Shadi Sadr, of Iran, for advocating for women’s legal rights and an end to execution by stoning.
6. Ann Njogu, of Kenya, for seeking social transformation and being at the forefront of reforms in Kenya.
7. Dr. Lee Ae-ran, of the Republic of Korea, for promoting human rights in North Korea and aiding the refugee community in the Republic of Korea.
8. Jansila Majeed, of Sri Lanka, for strengthening rights for internally displaced persons.
9. Sister Marie Claude Naddaf (also known as Sister Marie Claude), of Syria, of working for social services for women.
10. Jestina Mukoko, of Zimbabwe, for documenting human rights abuses.