U.S. State Department Names Fariba Balouch as One of the Winners of the International 'Brave Women 2024' Award

On Friday, March 2, the U.S. Department of State announced that Fariba Balouch, an Iranian women's rights activist, is among the 13 winners of the International 'Brave Women 2024' award. According to the U.S. State Department, the annual awards ceremony will take place at 11:30 AM on Monday, March 4, with the attendance of Secretary of State Antony Blinken and First Lady Jill Biden at the White House. This year, the awards are being given for the eighteenth time to women from around the world who have fought with courage, strength, and exceptional leadership in defense of peace, justice, human rights, gender equality, and the empowerment of women and girls. The U.S. State Department introduced Fariba Balouch as an Iranian human rights activist based in London, noting that she is from the Sistan and Baluchestan province of Iran and a member of the Baluch ethnic group, who has spoken out explicitly about women's rights and the human rights crisis in Sistan and Baluchestan, the violence of the Iranian regime, executions, and systemic discrimination. The department further stated, 'As a result of Fariba Balouch's human rights activities, Iranian government officials have threatened her with death in an attempt to intimidate her, and her son and brother have been detained in Iran. Nevertheless, Ms. Balouch sees resistance as the only way forward and continues to advocate for the rights of Iranian women and draw attention to the gender, ethnic, and sectarian discriminations of the Iranian regime.' The documentary film 'In This Cage,' by journalist Hojjat Tavakoli of the Persian section of Voice of America, is based on the life of Fariba Balouch, addressing not only her tumultuous life but also the double suffering of the people, especially women of Sistan and Baluchestan, her homeland. Other winners of the International 'Brave Women 2024' award include Banafsha Yaqoubi from Afghanistan, Reina Gunoi from Japan, Marta Beatriz Roque Cabello from Cuba, and Fauzia Karim Firouzeh from Bangladesh. This award has been given to over 190 women human rights defenders from 90 countries worldwide. Last year, on March 8, during the International 'Brave Women 2023' award ceremony, the honorary 'Madeleine Albright' award was presented to 'the protesting women and girls of Iran.'