Executive Vice President of US Women’s Democracy Network, Judy Van Rest has applauded Ambassador Sherry Rehamn’s profound contribution to a series of legislation ensuring preservation and promotion of women’s rights, while serving in various positions as journalist, civil society activist, minister in the federal government and member of the Parliament.
“Ambassador Sherry Rehman has broken many barriers. She has amassed a remarkable list of accomplishments. She has been recognized internationally for her work in human rights. In 2011, Newsweek Pakistan featured her on its cover as Pakistan’s Most Important Woman. Foreign Policy magazine called her one of 2011’s top global thinkers,” Judy Rest read, while presenting a profile of the Pakistani ambassador.
Cindy McCain, humanitarian, business owner, and wife of Chairman of the International Republican Institute (IRI) Senator John McCain, also appreciated the key role Sherry Rehman has been playing for the cause of women’s rights.
Other leaders of American organizations praised her commitment and tremendous contribution to empowerment of women in her South Asian country.
Speaking at the function as special guest for her outstanding work on human rights, at the annual Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Award ceremony, hosted by Women’s Democracy Network of International Republican Institute here, Ambassador Sherry Rehman said Pakistan is making great strides towards giving women their rightful status at grassroots level and in mainstream national life.
The top Pakistani diplomat in Washington, who was honored with the prestigious award last year, also gave away the 2012 award to Tunisian journalist and rights activist Sihem Bensedrine for her brave struggle for her people.
“Reform is important in any democracy. Pakistan has made great strides in building an enviable architecture of laws over the last three years,” for protection and promotion of women’s rights, said the ambassador.
She particularly listed measures like empowerment of the National Commission on the Status of Women and enactment of the law against sexual harassment at workplaces. Sherry Rehman noted that these landmark steps have already started making a difference in the lives of women in public sector organizations, while the private sector is also following the code of conduct.
Many South Asian countries are studying the legislation to emulate the achievement, said the Pakistani envoy, who earlier, also attended an event at the State Department, where First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton honored a Pakistani woman for her courageous effort to raise awareness about women’s rights.
Ambassador Rehman praised the work being done by IRI in raising awareness about the importance of women’s rights in nations around the world.
The 2012 awardees included Ambassador Constance Morella’s, a former Congresswoman and a prominent political advocate for women’s rights. The Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Award is given each year as part of the WDN’s annualInternational Women’s Day conference. This year’s delegation included female office holders and government leaders from Indonesia, Jordan, Macedonia,Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, the Netherlands, Nigeria, South Sudan and Uganda.
