Please join me in congratulating and welcoming
the Charlotte Bunch Human Rights Defender
Award, Mónica Roa.
[applause]
[cheering]
Congratulations! It's so wonderful, I'm so proud of you!
>> Thank you. Olympia Degout knew how dangerous
defending women's right is. During the French
Revolution, she asked for liberty, fraternity
and equality for women and she was beheaded.
In the past year, I've been criminally sued
and shot at for defending abortion rights
in Colombia. So I want to cherish the happy
moments like this and stock up on the good
energy for the future is keeping for me.
I can only accept one quarter of this award,
just to stock up on the good energy. The second
quarter should definitely go to my colleagues
at Women's Link Worldwide; they are a fantastic
team that I adore. They are led by Viviana
Weisman who is here tonight, who is the founder
of Women's Link and who has been, she has
been my partner in crime for the last decade.
Although I know I shouldn't say partner
in crime since I have a criminal suit against
me. I don't want to get to get her into
trouble. But Vivi thank you for everything,
this is also yours.
The third part of the award definitely goes
for the women that we work for; in particular
the women and girls that have died because
they have been denied an abortion. You saw
me hugging in the video, Margo Gonzales from
Colombia who died because she was denied an
abortion. There is Ana Maria in Argentina,
Amalia in Nicaragua and most recently Esperansita
in the Dominican Republic, who at 16 had leukemia
and she was denied an abortion and the chemotherapy
that she needed to defend her life. We're
going to be taking her case to the Inter-American
System for Human Rights.
And last but not least, the fourth quarter
of the award goes to our movement. A movement
that is composed by the previous generation
of feminists who were so successful in having
women's rights recognized as human rights.
The newer generation, whose challenge is how
to translate those rights into reality for
women and girls in their own local context.
For the very women who inspired us and the
very cool men that conspired with us. For
the activists, for the academics, for the
doctors, for the journalists, for the politicians
for the judges and of course, for people like
you who, like the Global Fund, ensure that
we have all the resources that we need to
continue our struggle; to turn this world
into a better place for women and girls.
So, it's only because I can say it is on
your behalf that I am accepting this award.
Happy Anniversary to the Global Fund and enjoy
your evening. Thank you very much.
GFW 25th Anniversary Gala
Monica Roa/HRDA/Remarks
17 April 2013
