NEW YORK, Nov 3: At a star-studded award ceremony, Pakistan’s premier women rights activist, Mukhtaran Mai, received Glamour magazine’s Women of the Year award at the Lincoln Centre on Wednesday night.
“This award is a victory for poor women, it’s a victory for all women,” Mai said at the ceremony after actress Brook Shields presented her the award.
Ms Mai received two standing ovations from the Hollywood’s super stars and gliteratti of New York. The eleven other recipients included Catherine Zeta-Jones, Goldie Hawn, Venus Wiliams, Christina Amanpour, Melisa Etheridge and the former president of Ireland Mary Robinson received lifetime achievement award.
In a video presented by Brooke Shield in her advance pregnancy, Mai’s incarnation as a women rights activist stemming from the gang rape and her indomitable courage and spirit against all odds to expose the system was highlighted.
“Mukhtaran Mai braved social stigma by going public with her 2002 assault, and used the international attention she attracted to set up a girls school in her rural community,” the video recounted.
“Mukhtaran Mai represents the bravery and resilience of the Pakistani woman. She is visiting the United States to meet her countless supporters and to draw attention to the legal, social and political repression faced by victims of violence in Pakistan. The challenges faced by the victims/survivors have been exacerbated manifold because of the recent catastrophe. Mukhtaran Mai’s mission is to urge the United States Congress to uphold their commitment to women’s rights in Pakistan and pledge an additional $50 million in humanitarian aid specifically earmarked for the women and children affected in the earthquake.
