Eleven U.S. Department of State International Exchange Alumn

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Eleven U.S. Department of State International Exchange Alumnae Among NEWSWEEK's "150 Women Who Shake the World"


Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC

March 29, 2011




In its recent issue, NEWSWEEK magazine honored 150 Women Who Shake the World. Eleven of those women honored are alumnae of the U.S. State Department’s international exchange programs. These extraordinary women are, in the words of NEWSWEEK, “heads of state and heads of household. Angry protesters in the city square and sly iconoclasts in remote villages. With a fiery new energy, women are building schools. Starting businesses. Fighting corruption. Harnessing new technologies and breaking down old prejudices.”
These NEWSWEEK honorees are:
Emma Bonino of Italy: She is a member of the Italian Senate and a former member of the European Parliament. (International Visitor Leadership Program, 1980)
Rola Dashti of Kuwait: She led the charge for women’s voting rights in her country and was the first female to cast a ballot. (International Visitor Leadership Program, 2002 and 2003)
Unity Dow of Botswana: She is Botswana’s first female High Court Judge. (International Visitor Leadership Program, 1993)
Gabrielle Giffords of the United States: She is a Congresswoman from Arizona’s Eighth Congressional District. (Fulbright, 1993 and American Council of Young Political Leaders, 2001)
Sunitha Krishnan of India: She is co-founder of Prajwala, India and also has been named a recipient of the Vital Voices Global Leadership Award. (International Visitor Leadership Program, 1998)
Betty Makoni of Zimbabwe: She is founder and executive director of Girl Child Network. (International Visitor Leadership Program, 2001)
Inez McCormack of Northern Ireland: She is the first female president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. (International Visitor Leadership Program, 1990)
Shada Nasser of Yemen: She helped establish the capital city’s first all-female law office. (International Visitor Leadership Program, 1998)
Suraya Pakzad of Afghanistan: She is the founder of Voice of Women. (International Visitor Leadership Program, 2008)
Marina Pisklakova-Parker of Russia: She is an activist for the prevention of domestic violence against women. (International Visitor Leadership Program, 1995)
Dilma Rousseff of Brazil: She is the first female president of Brazil. (International Visitor Leadership Program, 1992)


PRN: 2011/493