“The rate of women’s political participation in Fiji is among the lowest in the world, but in 2013 Roshika was among the very first candidates – male or female – to announce her intention to stand for election”.

Read about the woman who’s “Be the Change” campaign inspired a new generation of Fijian youth and women to believe in democracy and the power of civic participation. 

A Courageous Cuban Blogger

About the Author: Tara D. Sonenshine serves as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

Almost every day, I have the opportunity to meet women who refuse to let restrictive environments hinder their determination to demand the same rights, opportunities, and futures as any person.

This week, one of those women was Cuban blogger Yoani Sanchez, one of many voices across the global blogosphere advocating freedom of expression, human rights, and dignity for all citizens. Through her blog “ Generacion Y (Generation Y) ” Ms. Sanchez regularly provides her followers with deep and penetrating insights about life in her country.

Generacion Y currently receives 12 million hits a month and is translated into 21 languages. Her Twitter feed has more than 450,000 followers. Ms. Sanchez always maintains a respectful tone because – in her words – she… more »

(Source: blogs.state.gov)

Tweetup for the Department of State’s Annual International Women of Courage Award

We’re proud to announce that the first Department of State Tweetup will be taking place at the International Women of Courage (IWOC) Award Ceremony on March 8. Tweetups are in-person meetings of people who engage with the Department through social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. The participants will have the opportunity to attend and tweet about the IWOC Award Ceremony, hosted by Secretary of State John Kerry with special guest First Lady Michelle Obama, at the Department of State in Washington, DC, on Friday, March 8, 2013. Participants will also participate in a private policy briefing with a Department official about the United States’ engagement on international women’s issues. Learn more at http://www.state.gov/social/. 

(Source: state.gov)

Photo of the Week: International Women of Courage Award Winners Inspire Women and Girls Everywhere

About the Author: Sarah Goldfarb serves as DipNote’s Associate Editor.

This week’s “Photo of the Week” comes to us from Michael Gross, who serves as the official photographer at the U.S. Department of State. In this photograph, Gross captures Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama with the 2012 International Women of Courage Award winners: Maryam Durani, Kandahar Provincial Council Member (Afghanistan); Major Pricilla de Oliveira Azevedo, police officer, Rio de Janeiro Military Police (Brazil); Zin Mar Aung, political activist and NGO co-founder (Burma); Jineth Bedoya Lima, investigative journalist (Colombia); Hana Elhebshi, architect and political activist (Libya); Aneesa Ahmed, gender-based violence (GBV) activist and former Deputy Minister of Women’s Affairs (Maldives); Shad Begum, human rights activist and founder/executive director of Anjuman Behbood-e-Khawateen Talah (the Union of Women’s Welfare) (Pakistan);… more »