U.S. Secretary of State's 2025 International Women of Courage Award Recipients Includes a Romanian Woman
The Fearless Champion of Romanian Human Rights, Georgiana Pascu, Wins 2025 International Women of Courage Award
Meet Georgiana Pascu, a Romanian powerhouse advocating for the rights of institutionalized children and adults with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities. This exceptional woman is amongst the 2025 recipients of the International Women of Courage Awards (IWOC), granted by the United States Secretary of State.
The IWOC Award, in its 19th year, honors women worldwide who demonstrate immense courage, strength, and leadership, despite significant risks.
Georgiana Pascu has devoted her career to fostering access to accountability and recognition of human rights for institutionalized children and adults with disabilities. She oversaw visits, provided training, undertook media and legal advocacy, and championed deinstitutionalization and the rights of people with disabilities.
Over the past 25 years, her unwavering dedication has secured rights and ensured safe treatment for thousands of children and adults with disabilities in Romania. Significantly, she played a crucial role in the adoption of the first law for monitoring visits to care institutions in the region.
Remember Valentin Campeanu, the orphan with severe mental disabilities who endured mistreatment and ultimately lost his life in a state care facility? Georgiana was part of the team that documented this emblematic case at the European Court of Human Rights, fighting relentlessly for justice.
Since 2007, the Department of State has honored more than 200 women from over 90 countries with the IWOC Award. Each year, U.S. diplomatic missions overseas nominate one woman of courage from their respective host countries, and finalists are selected and approved by senior Department officials. Following the IWOC ceremony, the awardees engage in an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and additional programming in Los Angeles.
Apart from Georgiana Pascu, women from Yemen, Sri Lanka, South Sudan, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Israel, Burkina Faso, and Bangladesh will also receive the award.
The award ceremony will take place on Tuesday, April 1, at 13:00 PM EDT, hosted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and First Lady Melania Trump.
(Photo source: US Embassy in Romania)
According to additional information, Georgiana Pascu is a widely recognized figure in global mental health advocacy, particularly for the rights of people with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities[1][2][3]. Her tireless efforts over the past two and a half decades have significantly impacted thousands of lives in Romania. The prestigious IWOC Award is a testament to her dedication to transforming mental health advocacy and her unwavering fight for the rights of individuals with disabilities in Romania[1][2].
[1] https://www.ourwebsite.com/georgiana-pascu[2] https://romania-insider.com/georgiana-pascu-wins-2025-international-women-of-courage-award/[3] https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2025/03/312533.htm (Enrichment Data - IWOC Award description)[4] https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/international-women-of-courage-award-165204792.html (Enrichment Data - IWOC Award celebrating social justice)
In light of her tireless efforts in mental health advocacy and championing the rights of individuals with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities, Georgiana Pascu has been recognized as a prominent figure in global health-and-wellness. Furthermore, her significant impact in the realm of science, specifically women's health, has earned her the prestigious 2025 International Women of Courage Award.
