Nepal's transgender activist wins International Women of Courage award

Nepal's transgender activist Bhumika Shrestha has bagged the US Department of States' prestigious International Women of Courage (IWOC) Award 2022 for her dedication to improving the lives of the LGBTI community.

This is the second year in a row that a Nepali has won the award. Last year, Muskan Khatun won the award for her work against acid attacks.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will host the annual IWOC Awards in a virtual ceremony, according to a statement by the US embassy here.

US First Lady Dr Jill Biden will deliver her remarks during the event, which will be live streamed online on Monday, March 14.

The 2022 IWOC Award ceremony will honour 12 extraordinary women from around the world who are working to build a brighter future for all.

Transgender activist Shrestha has advocated for gender minority rights and social justice.

Despite stigma and biases against transgender people, Shrestha helped lead the movement for gender minority recognition.

Mainly due to her activism, in 2007, Nepal's Supreme Court ruled that individuals could be identified as a "third/other gender" on citizenship documents.

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