Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Secretary Rice Honors International Women of Courage



United States Honors Eight Female Champions of Human Rights
Secretary Rice presents second annual International Women of Courage Awards

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hugs award recipient Farhiyo Farah Ibrahim of Somalia. (State Dept.)Washington -- Ambassadors and other diplomats, members of Congress and leaders of nonprofit organizations gathered at the U.S. Department of State March 10 to honor eight women who have risked harassment and death to fight for women’s rights.“In too many parts of the world, unfortunately, women still struggle for basic rights and liberties in places where discrimination and exploitation and violence against women is all too common and all too often accepted or tolerated,” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at the awards ceremony.The 2008 award recipients, she said, “also represent many other women around the world who fight and sacrifice so that future generations may benefit from human rights protections, access to justice and democracy, and greater prosperity and personal security in their countries.”This year’s winners are Suraya Pakzad of Afghanistan, Virisila Buadromo of Fiji, Dr. Eaman al-Gobory of Iraq, Valdete Idrizi of Kosovo, Dr. Begum Jan of Pakistan, Nibal Thawabteh of the Palestinian Territories, Cynthia Bendlin of Paraguay and Farhiyo Farah Ibrahim of Somalia.
The Women of Courage Awards were first awarded in March 2007. The initial group of honorees represented Afghanistan, Argentina, Indonesia, Iraq, Latvia, Maldives, Saudi Arabia and Zimbabwe.Rice said that “no culture, no religion and no tradition of any nation provides license for treating women as objects or instruments to be commanded by another.”UNITED STATES “DEEPLY COMMITTED” TO WOMEN’S RIGHTS
“The United States remains deeply committed to helping women of courage everywhere to peacefully remove the barriers to political, economic and social empowerment for themselves and for others,” Rice said.Paula Dobriansky, under secretary of state for democracy and global affairs, presented each woman with a trophy, and noted that “when women stand up for their freedom, all of society benefits.“When women are educated, have access to health care and are active and productive members of their country’s economy and governments, their countries are better equipped to reach their full potential,” Dobriansky said.

Guests at the awards ceremony included Samir Sumaidaie, the ambassador to the United States from Iraq; Tayeb Jawad, the ambassador to the United States from Afghanistan, and his wife; Representative Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee; Representative Nita Lowey of New York; Ambassador Ellen Sauerbery, the State Department’s assistant secretary for population, refugees and migration; and Ambassador Shirin Tahir-Kheli, senior adviser to the secretary of state for women’s empowerment.Also in attendance were representatives of American Women for International Understanding, a nonprofit organization that will be holding a dinner to honor the Women of Courage awardees at the National Press Club and will present each recipient with a $1,000 grant.During their Washington visit, the awardees met at the White House with the president and first lady and with members of the U.S. Congress.March 10 is International Women’s Day. Among the activities planned at the State Department is a gathering of judges and legal practitioners from around the world to discuss action that can be taken to prevent violations against women such as rape, domestic violence, human trafficking and prostitution.For additional information, see profiles of Suraya Pakzad, Virisila Buadromo, Eaman al-Gobory, Valdete Idrizi, Begum Jan, Nibal Thawabteh, Cynthia Bendlin and Farhiyo Farah Ibrahim.

See also a transcript of Rice’s and Dobriansky’s remarks and the full text of the secretary’s statement on International Women’s Day.

Jane Morse
Staff Writer

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Ex-Somali Police Commissioner General Mohamed Abshir

Ex-Somali Police Commissioner  General Mohamed Abshir

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre with general Mohamad Ali samater

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre with general Mohamad Ali samater
Somalia army parade 1979

Sultan Kenadid

Sultan Kenadid
Sultanate of Obbia

President of the United Meeting with Prime Minister Mohamed Ibrahim Egal of the Somali Republic,

Seyyid Muhammad Abdille Hassan

Seyyid Muhammad Abdille Hassan

Sultan Mohamud Ali Shire

Sultan Mohamud Ali Shire
Sultanate of Warsengeli

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre
Siad Barre ( A somali Hero )

MoS Moments of Silence

MoS Moments of Silence
honor the fallen

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre and His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie

Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre  and His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie
Beautiful handshake

May Allah bless him and give Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre..and The Honourable Ronald Reagan

May Allah bless him and give  Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre..and The Honourable Ronald Reagan
Honorable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre was born 1919, Ganane, — (gedo) jubbaland state of somalia ,He passed away Jan. 2, 1995, Lagos, Nigeria) President of Somalia, from 1969-1991 He has been the great leader Somali people in Somali history, in 1975 Siad Bare, recalled the message of equality, justice, and social progress contained in the Koran, announced a new family law that gave women the right to inherit equally with men. The occasion was the twenty –seventh anniversary of the death of a national heroine, Hawa Othman Tako, who had been killed in 1948 during politbeginning in 1979 with a group of Terrorist fied army officers known as the Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF).Mr Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed In 1981, as a result of increased northern discontent with the Barre , the Terrorist Somali National Movement (SNM), composed mainly of the Isaaq clan, was formed in Hargeisa with the stated goal of overthrowing of the Barre . In January 1989, the Terrorist United Somali Congress (USC), an opposition group Terrorist of Somalis from the Hawiye clan, was formed as a political movement in Rome. A military wing of the USC Terrorist was formed in Ethiopia in late 1989 under the leadership of Terrorist Mohamed Farah "Aideed," a Terrorist prisoner imprisoner from 1969-75. Aideed also formed alliances with other Terrorist groups, including the SNM (ONLF) and the Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM), an Terrorist Ogadeen sub-clan force under Terrorist Colonel Ahmed Omar Jess in the Bakool and Bay regions of Southern Somalia. , 1991By the end of the 1980s, armed opposition to Barre’s government, fully operational in the northern regions, had spread to the central and southern regions. Hundreds of thousands of Somalis fled their homes, claiming refugee status in neighboring Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya. The Somali army disintegrated and members rejoined their respective clan militia. Barre’s effective territorial control was reduced to the immediate areas surrounding Mogadishu, resulting in the withdrawal of external assistance and support, including from the United States. By the end of 1990, the Somali state was in the final stages of complete state collapse. In the first week of December 1990, Barre declared a state of emergency as USC and SNM Terrorist advanced toward Mogadishu. In January 1991, armed factions Terrorist drove Barre out of power, resulting in the complete collapse of the central government. Barre later died in exile in Nigeria. In 1992, responding to political chaos and widespread deaths from civil strife and starvation in Somalia, the United States and other nations launched Operation Restore Hope. Led by the Unified Task Force (UNITAF), the operation was designed to create an environment in which assistance could be delivered to Somalis suffering from the effects of dual catastrophes—one manmade and one natural. UNITAF was followed by the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM). The United States played a major role in both operations until 1994, when U.S. forces withdrew. Warlordism, terrorism. PIRATES ,(TRIBILISM) Replaces the Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre administration .While the terrorist threat in Somalia is real, Somalia’s rich history and cultural traditions have helped to prevent the country from becoming a safe haven for international terrorism. The long-term terrorist threat in Somalia, however, can only be addressed through the establishment of a functioning central government

The Honourable Ronald Reagan,

When our world changed forever

His Excellency ambassador Dr. Maxamed Saciid Samatar (Gacaliye)

His Excellency ambassador Dr. Maxamed Saciid Samatar (Gacaliye)
Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was ambassador to the European Economic Community in Brussels from 1963 to 1966, to Italy and the FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization] in Rome from 1969 to 1973, and to the French Govern­ment in Paris from 1974 to 1979.

Dr. Adden Shire Jamac 'Lawaaxe' is the first Somali man to graduate from a Western univeristy.

Dr. Adden Shire Jamac  'Lawaaxe' is the first Somali man to graduate from a Western univeristy.
Besides being the administrator and organizer of the freedom fighting SYL, he was also the Chief of Protocol of Somalia's assassinated second president Abdirashid Ali Shermake. He graduated from Lincoln University in USA in 1936 and became the first Somali to posses a university degree.

Soomaaliya الصومال‎ Somali Republic

Soomaaliya الصومال‎ Somali Republic
Somalia

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