{"id":70740,"date":"2024-03-01T23:19:08","date_gmt":"2024-03-01T20:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/70740\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"belarusian-wins-international-women-of-courage-award","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/70740\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarusian wins International Women of Courage Award"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (US Department of State)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

March 1, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> United Transitional Cabinet member Volha Harbunova has become an International Women of Courage Award laureate, according to a media note from the award’s founder, the US Department of State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The department described<\/a> Harbunova as “a Belarusian human rights defender who has dedicated her life to advocating for the rights of women, children, the LGBTQI+ community, and other marginalized groups in Belarus.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“In the wake of the fraudulent 2020 elections in Belarus, Ms. Harbunova was imprisoned by the \u0141uka\u0161enka regime after organizing women\u2019s marches and, while in prison, suffered psychological torture from the authorities and death threats for helping abused women,” the note reads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“After her release, Ms. Harbunova fled Belarus, certain of continued repression, and in exile in Lithuania joined the cabinet of \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja, leader of the Belarusian democratic movement.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The state department mentioned that Harbunova’s mandate as the UTC’s representative for social issues “includes advocating for the release of political prisoners, providing support to former political prisoners and their families, and promoting psychosocial support to the Belarusian community in exile.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“As former head of the NGO Radislava, which was ultimately shuttered by the \u0141uka\u0161enka regime, Ms. Harbunova was a pioneering activist in support of victims of domestic violence and for twenty years operated one of the only shelters for children and women in Belarus,” the state department said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides Harbunova, this year’s recepients include women from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burma, Cuba, Ecuador, The Gambia, Iran, Japan, Morocco and Uganda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and First Lady Jill Biden will host the award ceremony on March 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the ceremony, the laureates will take part ” in an in-person International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and additional programming in Los Angeles, during which they will engage with American counterparts on strategies and ideas to empower women and girls around the globe.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The department, in charge of foreign policy and relations, has been giving the IWOC Awards since 2007 to “women from around the globe who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equity and equality, and the empowerment of women and girls, in all their diversity \u2013 often at great personal risk and sacrifice.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 190 women from 90 countries have been honored with the award in its nearly 20-year history. Nominees are suggested by US diplomatic missions abroad, and finalists are selected and approved by senior department officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Opposition launches one-stop-shop service for reprisal victims<\/h3>\n
October 27, Pozirk. The opposition transition cabinet has announced the launch of a one-stop-shop service for providing social support to victims of politically-motivated persecution in Belarus. Designed by the cabinet's office for social policy, the service represents "an information and …<\/div>\n \n