NYC event will bring together women’s rights supporters from around the world

New York, NY — The Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC) today announced that five women’s rights leaders will be honored at the 2024 Voices of Courage Awards ceremony on Thursday evening, September 26, 2024, at Cipriani 25 Broadway in New York City. The special event also marks WRC’s 35th anniversary.

WRC works to protect the lives and rights of displaced women, children, and youth and to transform the humanitarian system so that it is more responsive to their needs. WRC was born out of innovation and determination to do what no one else in the field was doing: focus on women and girls in conflict and crises.

“Our story started by women listening to women, and our commitment to working in partnership with refugee women to help rebuild their lives continues to this day,” said WRC Executive Director Sarah Costa. “This year, we are thrilled to honor five remarkable women who have dedicated their careers to breaking barriers for women and girls around the world.”

This year’s honorees are:

Rowida Tariq — a young humanitarian from Sudan who, even after war broke out and her family fled to Egypt, stayed to continue her work with the Norwegian Refugee Council, where she remains today. Ms. Tariq provides education and psychosocial support to more than 10,000 displaced children and youth in Sudan. Ms. Tariq will receive the Voices of Courage Award.

Deepti Gurung — a Nepalese activist and founder of the Citizen’s Affected People’s Network (CAPN), which works to fight gender-discriminatory citizenship laws. Ms. Gurung, then a single mother of two daughters, was inspired to lead this work after being denied the right to confer citizenship to her own daughters. Ms. Gurung will receive the Voices of Courage Award.

Abigail E. Disney — advocates for changes to the way capitalism operates in today’s world. As a philanthropist and social activist, she has worked with organizations supporting peacebuilding, gender justice, and systemic cultural change. Ms. Disney is also an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and founder of several nonprofits that use the arts and storytelling to advance social movements. Ms. Disney will receive the Women, Peace and Security Champion Award.

Ambassador Geeta Rao Gupta — is the fourth Ambassador-at-Large for the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues at the US Department of State, and the first woman of color to hold the position. Ambassador Rao Gupta has held senior roles at the United Nations Foundation, UNICEF, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and served as president of the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) for more than a decade. Ambassador Rao Gupta will receive the Lifetime Gender Equality Leadership Award.

U.S. Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-06) — is the first and only Asian American member of Congress from New York State, and the first female Congressmember from Queens since former Vice-Presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro. She serves on the powerful House Appropriations Committee and has fought to expand opportunities for communities of color, young people, families, small businesses, and women – including women and families seeking safety in the U.S. Representative Meng will receive the Congressional Champion Award.

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