PRESS RELEASES 2007

U.S. Ambassador Salutes Women of Accomplishment and Presents Woman of Courage Award to Zoya Rouhana

March 27, 2007

Ambassador Feltman presents certificate to Zoya Rouhana...

In honor of U.S. Women’s History Month, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey D. Feltman hosted more than 100 Lebanese women at his residence, March 27, 2007. The reception aimed to strengthen ties between the U.S. Embassy and women of accomplishment.  Ambassador Feltman highlighted the support of the United States for the full participation of Lebanese women in all fields. To this end, the United States provides assistance to enable Lebanon to benefit from the skills and abilities of its women and to help remove barriers to women’s achievement.

At the event, Ambassador Feltman presented a certificate to Ms. Zoya Rouhanna as the Lebanese national winner of the U.S. Secretary of State’s Award for International Women of Courage. The director of KAFA Violence and Exploitation, Ms. Rouhana advocates on behalf of women and children who have been victimized to ensure the social service infrastructure meets their needs. Her efforts resulted in the establishment of hot lines, counseling centers and training for the Women’s Unit in the Ministry of Social Affairs. 

Ambassador Feltman told the invitees, “Women are one of Lebanon’s most valuable and untapped resources.  As a component of U.S. support for a sovereign, democratic Lebanon, we want to do more than just offer platitudes.  We want to provide Lebanese women with opportunities to benefit from education and exchanges, training and networking, to enable them to compete in the job market and in the workplace.”  The Ambassador explained that women’s empowerment was a key objective of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI).