Nepal’s transgender activist Bhumika Shrestha receives International Women of Courage Award

Kathmandu: Nepal’s transgender activist Bhumika Shrestha receives International Women of Courage Award. Bhumika Shrestha receives the award from US
Under Secretary Uzra Zeya, US Ambassador Randy Berry and First Lady Arzu Deuba at Kathmandu in a glittering ceremony.

The award is given to women around the world who promote women’s rights and have shown leadership, courage, and willingness to sacrifice for others. For the last fifteen years, Shrestha has been working to address the challenges of the transgender community of Nepal. Whether it’s leading a conversation about queer citizenship rights with the government or fighting for dignity and rights, Bhumika Shrestha has been stepping forward as a change agent since 2007.

It was a pleasure to meet with International Women of Courage awardee Bhumika Shrestha. Through her hard work and bravery, Bhumika has helped lead the way forward and the movement for LGBTQI+ rights in Nepal. #IWOC2022 pic.twitter.com/I77WQrG55b

— Under Secretary Uzra Zeya (@UnderSecStateJ) May 20, 2022

The Secretary of State’s IWOC Award recognizes women from around the globe who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equity and equality, and the empowerment of women and girls, in all their diversity – often at great personal risk and sacrifice. The 2022 IWOC Award ceremony will honor twelve extraordinary women from around the world who are working to build a brighter future for all. Since March 2007, the Department of State has recognized more than 170 women from over 80 countries with the IWOC Award. Following the virtual ceremony, the awardees will participate in an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) Virtual exchange to connect with their American counterparts and strengthen the global network of women leaders.

Celebrating Nepal’s commitment to human rights, I was honored to be joined by @UnderSecStateJ and First Lady Arzu Deuba to hand over the International Women of Courage Award to Bhumika Shrestha for her amazing achievements helping the #LGBTQI+ community. pic.twitter.com/JtLOxcY7ps

— Ambassador Randy Berry (@USAmbNepal) May 20, 2022

Transgender activist Bhumika Shrestha has advocated for gender minority rights and social justice.  Despite stigma and biases against transgender people, Ms. Shrestha helped lead the movement for gender minority recognition.  Thanks in large part to her activism, in 2007, Nepal’s Supreme Court ruled that individuals could be identified as a “third/other gender” on citizenship documents. Later in the spring of 2021, she successfully advocated to change her citizenship document from “other” to female.