Umama Fatema, spokesperson of the Students Against Discrimination, has rejected the US State Department's 'Madeleine Albright Honorary Group Award,' which was given in recognition of the courage and bravery of all Bangladeshi women involved in the July-August uprising in 2024.
The award is part of the US Secretary of State鈥檚 鈥業nternational Women of Courage Awards 2025,鈥� which recognises women worldwide who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership鈥攐ften at great personal risk and sacrifice.
On the night of March 29, Umama announced in a Facebook post that she had personally rejected the award.
She wrote, 鈥楾he collective recognition of women activists is a great honor for us. However, this award has been used to directly endorse Israel鈥檚 brutal attack on Palestine in October 2023.鈥�
鈥楤y denying Palestine鈥檚 war of liberation, the award has justified Israel鈥檚 assault in a way that calls its neutrality into question. Especially when the Palestinian people have long been deprived of their fundamental human right (right to land),鈥� the post read.
鈥楾herefore, out of respect for the Palestinian liberation struggle, I have personally rejected this award,鈥� it added .聽
On April 1, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and First Lady Melania Trump hosted the 19th annual International Women of Courage Awards ceremony at the Department of State.
Since 2007, the IWOC Award has recognized more than 200 women from over 90 countries.
