International Women of Courage Amplify Young Generation’s Voices

My voice is my courage.

Ajna Jusic2024 International Woman of Courage

This March, the U.S. Department of State is celebrating remarkable women from around the world through the 18th annual International Women of Courage Award.  Like Jusic, they have dedicated their lives to reclaiming the voices of women in their communities. “Invest in Women” is the 2024 theme of International Women’s Day, and there is no better investment than the early intervention, engagement, and support of our youth. There are many girls around the world who will grow up to be future global leaders.  Unfortunately, many girls grow up disadvantaged and are stripped of their agency simply because of their gender.  According to a 2023 UNICEF study, one in five young women were married before the age of 18.  UNICEF also has reported that 129 million girls do not have access to education.  However, activists in every nation, including this year’s International Women of Courage, are doing the work to advance progress for women and girls.  For this article, I had the pleasure to interview a few of them.

One in ten children worldwide are subject to child labor, with COVID-19 further exacerbating these numbers.  Due to work schedules, child laborers often do not receive an education or have access to healthcare. Girls have a unique experience in the child labor industry.  Many Bangladeshi girls are targeted for domestic labor like working as a housemaid.  Some girls are deceptively offered these jobs but are lured into sex work instead.  In Bangladesh, the unsafe conditions of the garment industry have an even worse impact on the children who unfortunately work in these factories.  These children must operate hazardous machines and are exposed to harmful chemicals.

Fawzia Karim Firoze is a lawyer who has played an important role in establishing the Bangladesh Independent Garment Workers Union Federation, a women-led trade union improving labor conditions and providing legal protection for workers in Bangladesh’s garment-making industry.  I asked Firoze how child labor impacts the livelihood of children and their family. Her response, “Children being deprived of basic education and opportunities for personal and professional growth, eventually trap themselves in a vicious cycle which they are unable to break free for the rest of their lives”.  For over 30 years, Firoze has advocated to strengthen the voice of many marginalized people working in abusive and unsafe conditions, including girls and young women.

Moroccan activist Rabha El Haymar was forced into an arranged marriage at only 14 years old. Her marriage was a traditional “Fatiha” marriage, which is not officially recognized under Moroccan law.  After Rabha’s husband abandoned her, their daughter was declared illegitimate because of the lack of legal documentation. Since then, Rabha has dedicated her life and professional career to advocating for children like her daughter, and their mothers.  She spoke to me about her journey for justice. “Confronted with family pressures, especially as my husband was my cousin, and the challenge of raising and financially supporting my daughter alone, I found myself in a relentless struggle. But my determination never wavered. I fought tirelessly for my marriage to be recognized, ensuring my daughter’s legitimacy in the eyes of the law.”

Psychologist and feminist activist Ajna Jusic has fought a similar battle in Bosnia and Herzegovina towards the rights of children born from rape during war.  “We are still exposed to social condemnation, including political and legal rejection,” says Jusic.  “Precisely because of this, our mothers try to hide our father’s identities very wisely, which makes it more difficult to map and gather children born as a result of rape in a certain country.”  In 2015 Jusic founded the Forgotten Child of War Association, championing social and legal recognition of children born of conflict-related sexual violence.  She also helped pass a law granting special rights to these marginalized children such as educational opportunities and psychological support – the first of its kind.

Martha Beatriz Roque Cabello is a former professor turned human rights defender from Cuba, who advocates for the rights of marginalized communities, including Cuban youth.  Her public denouncements of the oppressive Cuban regime have led her to prison on countless occasions, and yet she relentlessly continues to fight for her people.  When asked about the hardships facing Cuba’s youth, Roque stated, “For young people in Cuba, every situation becomes a difficulty.  They cannot think about forming a home, because they have to wait for a grandparent to die and leave an empty room [as it is nearly impossible to purchase or construct a new home].  That is why they see their future outside of Cuba, particularly in the United States of America.”  Through her activism, Roque aims to build a future for Cuba where younger generations can prosper.

Feminist action and the protection of the youth are intertwined. It is mostly women who are doing the grassroots work in dangerous situations. Despite being most vulnerable, women put themselves on the frontlines to protect their community. Among these women is Fátima Corozo, another former teacher who is especially committed to elevating Ecuador’s youth. In the wake of the city of Esmeralda’s drug violence, Corozo has provided the children of her community with alternatives to the vicious cycle of crime. With the help of other local educators, she has established several development programs, providing Ecuador’s youth with the skills to succeed into adulthood.

All the figures covered in this article are winners of the 2024 International Women of Courage Awards. The U.S. Department of State has platformed these leaders not only to showcase their impactful work, but to show future leaders that they can make a difference in any part of the world. Heroes like our IWOC winners have helped the Department implement programs supporting women and youth across the globe. If we want boys and girls of today prepared for the future, we must continue to invest in women who are giving them the tools to do so.

About the author: Tolu Ojori served as an intern in the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues.