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IWMF Supports Critical Work of Women Journalists Around The Globe

Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer today commended the works of the International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) for its relentless support to the critical work of women journalists around the globe.

Ms. Verveer salutes IWMF for putting a spotlight on so many profiles of courage in the field of journalism especially the women journalists who risk their lives to cover human rights stories and so many other stories that are critically important for the public to know.

Ms. Verveer also acknowledged the woman of courage Natalia Koliada. She is the founder of the Belarus Free Theater, which has been telling the world the story of the repression that is occurring in her country; about the arrests of those who protested the recent rigged presidential election.

Ms. Koliada recently with Secretary Clinton and told her about the scale of human rights violations that are taking place in Belarus today.

"Women reporters make a difference! You make a difference-every day, a difference from Belarus to Somalia, to Afghanistan and to so many places in between! We should all be grateful for, and support, women like these in the best way that we can."-M. Verveer

Ms. Verveer highlighted that women are now seen on the frontlines of progress in their countries

"There's a wonderful movement phrase, one you all know well: "Nothing about us without us." I love that phrase but sometimes-particularly right now, standing before a gathering of the world's most influential women media leaders-I want to make it even stronger. The fact is that there is nothing that is not about us. As we fare, so will the world. As we prosper, so will the world.+Ms. Verveer

Source: U.S. Department of State