The U.S. State Department has confirmed that no one will accept the Madeleine Albright Honorary Group Award on behalf of its recipients at this year’s International Women of Courage (IWOC) Awards ceremony. This acknowledgment came in response to an inquiry from The Voice.
The IWOC Awards, set to take place on April 1 in Washington, D.C., will be hosted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and First Lady Melania Trump. While the event aims to recognize women who have demonstrated extraordinary courage, one of the group award recipients—the Women Student Protest Leaders of Bangladesh—has sparked controversy.
Critics allege that the Bangladeshi protest leaders were backed by USAID funding and had links to Islamist groups, including Hizbut Tahrir, which advocates for a global Islamic caliphate. These protests contributed to the August 2024 ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a development that some see as a victory for democracy, while others claim it was a foreign-backed coup that destabilized the country.
The State Department’s decision not to have a representative accept the award raises further questions about the vetting process and U.S. involvement in international political movements. As the IWOC ceremony approaches, the debate over this award and its recipients continues to grow.