Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama mark International Women's Day

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama honored ten other women from around the world Tuesday with the International Women of Courage Awards, which are awarded by the State Department.

Marking International Women's Day, Clinton welcomed eight honorees to the State Department, including Roze Otunbayeva, the president of the Kyrgyz Republic, the first head of state to receive this honor.

Recipients included members of government, lawyers, businesswomen, journalists and supporters of human rights from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Jordan, Cameroon, Hungary China and Mexico.

Clinton addressed recent turmoil in Egypt and Libya in her remarks. (watch her remarks above)

"Women in Egypt and Tunisia and other nations have just as much right as the men to remake their governments, to make them responsive, accountable, transparent. We will certainly be watching and the world will watch."

Two of the award winners could not be at the ceremony. Blogger Yoani Sanchez of Cuba and Nasta Palazhanka of Malady Front, a non-government organization in Belarus, were not permitted by their countries to attend.

Clinton noted their absence and stated,"we are with them in spirit and we salute them for everything they are doing on behalf of their countries and their people."

Clinton also recognized all of the awardees and commended each on how they "have found the strength to persevere in the face of fear, isolation, or repression. And they have done so not just one day or one year but day after day and year after year."

Obama took the opportunity to praise Clinton as well, commenting that she has been "a heckuva Secretary of State." (video at left)

While speaking about the incredible accomplishments of the recipients, Obama praised Sanchez saying "there's a journalist and blogger who writes the stories no one else will write."

Clinton also announced the State Department would team up with Goldman-Sachs as financial partner to expand the 10,000 Women Initiative to include 100 more women in the next two years with a focus on Indonesia and Haiti.

See Also: Daniel Craig dresses in drag for International Women's Day

[1176894]

I was pleased to find out about this day,having never heard that we had an INTERNATIONAL WOMAN'S DAY pleases me very much,It is about time that we honor women who are brave enough to make the world aware of women that go beyond their own safety to make the world a better place for those of us sacrifice for others

[newmanka]

I am surprised at the minimal amount of information and air time that the CBS evening news devoted to this event. Instead, we get 2 minutes on the rantings of Charlie Sheen - please!

[dukju]

really now - why is this achievement unknown and uncelebrated? Most women and men out there do not even know that this day exists.