Washington DC: Delhi Gang Rape Victim, who subsequently died has been honored with International Woman of Courage Award by the United States Department of State. Secretary of State John Kerry and First Lady Michelle Obama presented the Award to her posthumously.
“Her bravery inspired millions of women and men to come together with a simple message: No more. No more looking the other way when gender-based violence happens. No more stigma against victims or survivors,” said Kerry.
First Lady Michelle Obama said the awards, which have been handed out since 2007, are “a call for all of us to open our eyes to the injustices around us.â€
In an official Release, the US Department of State Says,
Known to India and the world as “Nirbhaya†(Fearless), the courageous 23-year-old physiotherapy intern whose brutal gang rape on a moving bus in Delhi in December inspired widespread protests, has become the foundation of a popular movement to end violence against women in India. For millions of Indian women, her personal ordeal, perseverance to fight for justice, and her family’s continued bravery is helping to lift the stigma and vulnerability that drive violence against women. “Nirbhaya†bravely recorded two police statements while in the hospital, repeatedly called for justice against the six attackers, and stated her will to survive to see justice done. Like many Indians inspired by her struggle, she was born into a working class family that invested their hopes and life savings into her dream to pursue medicine. She had just graduated from a physiotherapy program when her life was cut short. In the wake of her death just two weeks after the attack, India’s active civil society began advocating heavily for legislation and social programs to stem gender-based violence in all its forms and to ensure higher rape conviction rates and gender-sensitive law enforcement and justice systems. Thanks to these efforts, the Indian government has begun to take action to follow through on those demands.
The Girl named Jyoti Singh Rawat was named Nirbhaya, Damini  by millions of supporters who campaigned for over a month for her well being and overall Safety of Women.
In  a written Statement, her mother said “ We never imagined that the girl we thought was our daughter would one day be the daughter of the entire world. She was meant to be the daughter of the world. This is a huge achievement in itself. Today, our message to the world is: do not tolerate any attack on your dignity and honor; do not silently bear ill treatment. Earlier, women would keep silent and hide away when they were subjected to sexual misconduct”
The U.S. Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award annually recognizes women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women’s rights and empowerment, often at great personal risk. Since its inception in 2007, the Department of State has honored 67 women from 45 different countries.