VZCZCXYZ0005
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKA #1086/01 3370944
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030944Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9732

UNCLAS DHAKA 001086 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR S/GWI AMBASSADOR VERVEER AND SGHORI 
DEPT FOR SCA/INSB, SCA/RA JMAZZONE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWMN PREL KPAO PHUM PGOV BG
SUBJECT: BANGLADESH NOMINEE FOR THE 2010 SECRETARY'S AWARD FOR 
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE 
 
REF:  A) STATE 111471, B) DHAKA 1057 
 
Summary 
------------- 
 
¶1.  For her work in defending the legal and human rights of the 
women of Bangladesh, U.S. Mission Dhaka nominates Salma Ali for the 
2010 Secretary of State's Award for International Woman of Courage. 
Through her legal and humanitarian work, Ali has fiercely championed 
the rights of women and children in this Muslim-majority nation of 
150 million people.  Her strength and dedication have saved, 
hundreds, if not thousands, of women and children from the dangers 
of trafficking, domestic violence, sexual exploitation and unlawful 
imprisonment. 
 
Justification 
---------------- 
 
¶2.  Salma Ali, a lawyer and human rights activist, has worked 
tirelessly on behalf of women and children in Bangladesh for the 
last three decades.  She has fought for victims of a wide range of 
injustices, including trafficking, forced labor, acid attacks, 
unlawful imprisonment, and domestic violence.  An examination of any 
women's rights issue in Bangladesh will reveal contributions by Ali. 
 
 
¶3.  Ali is Executive Director of the Bangladesh Women Lawyers' 
Association (BNWLA) and Chairwoman of the Bangladesh chapter of 
Action against Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Children 
(ATSEC).  Under Ali's leadership BNWLA provides a broad range of 
services to women and girls.  BNWLA operates legal aid clinics and 
24-hour hotlines all over Bangladesh for women and girls who are the 
victims of violence and abuse.  Not content with just rendering 
legal assistance, Ali and BNWLA run shelters for victimized women 
and children.  BNWLA rescues victims of trafficking, sexual 
exploitation, forced labor and unlawful imprisonment.  Ali has 
helped to repatriate a large number of survivors of trafficking from 
abroad. 
 
¶4.  Ali and BNWLA work with the Government of Bangladesh to 
strengthen the ability of government officials to properly handle 
cases involving the violation of women's rights.  They have trained 
scores of officials, including police, military and local leaders, 
on such issues as child marriage, forced marriage, dowry, acid 
attacks, domestic violence, labor rights and trafficking. 
 
¶5.  Ali is a vocal leader within Bangladesh 's legal community, 
continually challenging the courts to strengthen legal protections 
for women and girls.  She took on the practice of "safe custody," in 
which the courts imprisoned - sometimes for years - girls found in 
brothels or on the streets.  Given that Bangladesh's penal system 
has limited facilities for women, most girls taken into "safe 
custody" ended up in the general populations of Bangladesh prisons, 
where they frequently were victims of abuse.  Ali has secured the 
release of scores of girls trapped in legal limbo, in some cases 
reuniting them with their families and in others assisting them with 
rehabilitation. 
¶6.  For all these efforts and more, US Mission Dhaka nominates Salma 
Ali of Bangladesh for the 2010 International Women of Courage Award. 
 Mission Dhaka has contacted Ali, who said she would be honored to 
be nominated for this award. 
Biographic Details 
------------------------ 
 
¶7.  Bio data requested ref A follow: 
 
Name:  Salma Ali 
 
Job Title/Association:  Executive Director, Bangladesh Women 
Lawyer's Association (BNWLA) 
 
Date of Birth:  February 26, 1949 
 
Country of Birth:  then Pakistan (now Bangladesh) 
 
Citizenship:  Bangladesh 
 
Address:  BNWLA, Monico-Mina Tower, 49/3 West Agargaon, 
Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka 1207, Bangladesh 
Telephone:  +8802-811-2858 
 
Fax:  +8802-812-5866 
 
Email:  bnwla@bdonline.com 
 
om 
 
Passport No.:  Forthcoming 
 
Languages spoken:  Bangla, English 
 
 
Mission Women's Issues Officer 
------------------------------ 
 
¶8.  For more information about this nomination, please contact 
Deputy Pol/Econ Chief Heather Variava at VariavaHC@state.gov. 
 
 
DEAN