A Muslim woman who has been under tremendous pressure in the battle fields and who was driven out by the Tamil Rebels in 1990 from northern Mullaittivu to Puttalam, this lady had the courage to take up the challenge and serve the community under many difficulties with her husband and with her three children, her struggle began in 1992.
Ms. Majeed has become an energetic activist for services for displaced Muslim and Tamil civilians, focusing particularly on grassroots programs on life skills, health, and women's empowerment. Her activism began in 1992 with a working group of five people. She overcame both the general neglect of the problem of IDPs in the Muslim minority as well as her own community’s parameters for women activists to build a broad-based organization that effectively works on minority and women’s issues in a highly sensitive and politicized environment.
The annual International Women of Courage Award was started in March 2007 to recognize women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women's rights and advancement. This is the only award within the Department of State that pays tribute to outstanding women leaders worldwide. It recognizes the courage and leadership shown as they struggle for social justice and human rights.
BBC Report says || “A Sri Lankan Muslim woman who has been internally displaced in the north of the country for 20 years has won a top award from the US state department.
Majeed Jensila is one of 10 worldwide recipients of the state department's International Women of Courage award for 2010.
She heads a group called the Community Trust Fund, engaged in "activities for the betterment of minority women".
The state department said her focus was on uniting Muslims and Tamils.
The US Embassy in Colombo said that Ms Jensila had worked with young people on minority women's issues including women's rights, peace building, relief work and mine risk education.
Ms Jensila, from Mullaitthivu in Sri Lanka's northern province, told the BBC Tamil service that she had been displaced when Tamil Tiger rebels evicted the entire Muslim community from the area in 1990.
She and others sought refuge in Puttalam, a small fishing town on the north-western coast, where she lives now with her husband and three children.
She started the Community Trust Fund with five people in 1992.
"At the start the task was very difficult," she said.
But she was able to overcome the obstacles with support from her husband and family.
The annual International Women of Courage award was started in March 2007 to recognise women around the globe who have shown courage and leadership in advocating women's rights.
Two women from Afghanistan also won awards this year.”
MAJEED JENSILA RETURNS WITH INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE AWARD
March 19, 2010: Mohammed Majeed Jensila, the Sri Lankan woman honoured by the United States State Department with the International Women of Courage award for 2010, returned to the island.
The awards ceremony was held under the patronage of Ms. Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State and Michelle Obama, wife of President Barak Obama.
Ms. Majeed Jensila, a Sri Lankan Muslim woman who is one of 10 worldwide recipients of the state department's International Women of Courage award for 2010.
She and others had sought refuge in Puttalam, a small town on the north-western coast, where she lives now with her husband and three children.
The annual International Women of Courage award was started in March 2007 to recognise women around the globe who have shown courage and leadership in advocating women's rights.
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