Nigerian Democracy Activist Wins US Secretary Of State 2013 Woman Of Courage Award

Nigerian democracy activist and women’s right advocate Dr. Josephine Odumakin being awarded the 2013 United State Secretary of State’s International Woman of Courage Award.

The U.S. First Lady, Michelle Obama, with Secretary of state, John Kerry presented Josephine’s award to her at the Dean Acheson Auditorium of the US State Department at a ceremony which coincided with the International Women’s Day.


Dr. Odumakin is an inspiration to young women; a brave woman who has been on the forefront of over 2,000 cases of violations of women’s rights, including cases of extra judicial practices committed by government security agencies against women. 

Often times, these cases include extra judicial killings of women by the police or their spouses, assault of women by law enforcement personnel for any pretext as well as deaths of children and women through negligence on the part of school or hospital authorities. 

Dr. Odumakin heads the Campaign for Democracy and has been involved with a lot of initiatives to broaden Nigeria’s democracy.

She is currently the Executive Director of the Institute of Human Rights and Democratic Studies; President of Women Arise for Change Initiative; Chairman, Task Force of the Citizen Forum; Spokesperson, Coalition of Civil Society Organizations; and President, Centre for Participatory Democracy.

Dr. Odumakin is usually seen leading almost every protest, march, lecture or workshop aimed at encouraging the rule of law and governing justly and democratically. 

She was one of the prominent people behind the Occupy Nigeria protests against the Federal Government’s increase in the price of fuel early last year.


Photo Credit: Bellanaija