Gulf Coast Diplomacy Council hosts today the Honorable Safek Pavey, Member of Parliament (Turkey). Last Thursday, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama honored Ms. Pavey and nine other women leaders from around the globe, by proclaiming them International Women of Courage.
This prestigious award annually recognizes those who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women’s rights and empowerment. Since its inception in 2007, the Department of State has honored 46 women from 34 different countries.
Pavey, the first disabled woman elected to the Turkish Parliament, has demonstrated great personal dignity in overcoming physical obstacles every day, while locally and globally championing the rights of vulnerable populations, including refugees and disabled persons. Whether working in extreme conditions for the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) in the Middle East, South Asia and Africa, or acting as a lightning rod to spark the UN Interagency Support Group for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Pavey has sought to turn her disability into strength on a global level. After winning a seat in the Turkish parliament in June 2011, Pavey is continuing to give voice to disabled persons, women, and minority populations in Turkey as well.