Moroccan women right's activist awarded 'Vital Voices' prize
Moroccan human rights activist, Latifa Jbabdi is expected to receive, in Washington Tuesday, the "Political Participation Prize" from the American NGO "Vital Voices."
Latifa Jbabdi, one of the founders of the Moroccan feminist movement will be honoured at a forum sponsored by "Vital Voices" organisation for her "35 years of struggle to promote Women's rights and gender equity."
President of l'Union de l'action féminine (UAF) and member of Justice and Reconciliation Commission (IER), Latifa Jbabdi works for a more equitable integration of women in development and in the decision-making process. She is also interested in education, violence against women, income-generating projects and information and training services.
The Economic Opportunity prize will be awarded to Indian Jaya Arunachalam, while Human Rights and Combating Human Trafficking Prize will be awarded to Sochua Mu from Cambodia.
The Fern Holland Prize (after the name of an American lawyer dead in Iraq in March 2004) will be awarded to Ukrainian civil society officers.
Several political, diplomatic, cultural and art personalities notably former US First Lady, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, former US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright and Republican Senator of Texas, Kay Bailey Hutchison will attend the prize-giving ceremony.
The list of former "Vital Voices" prizes winners musters Yemenite Amat Al-Aleem Ali Alsoswa, Iraqi Fatima Hassan Mohammed Al-Migdadi, Jordanian Arije Al-Amad and South African Dawn Marole.
"Vital Voices," a non-profit bipartisan organization dedicated to increasing women's leadership around the world, invests in women who are leading social, economic and political progress in their countries through a global partnership.
The organisation invests in development and training initiatives and extensive global network. It connects women around the world through knowledge-sharing, best practices, innovative partnerships and professional support so that women achieve economic independence, political rights and civic leadership and the full protection of their human rights.