The US Department of State has honored activist Urmila Chaudhary with the Global Anti-Racism Champion (GARC) award.
Chaudhary, who hails from Dang, was named one of the six recipients of the GARC award for 2024.
According to the US Department of State, Chaudhary was honored for her dedication to advancing the rights of marginalized castes and ethnic communities in Nepal and for combating systemic racism and intersectional abuses.
“Urmila has shown incredible leadership and commitment to advancing human rights for marginalized castes and ethnic communities in Nepal,” the US Embassy in Kathmandu said. “Her tireless work to combat systemic racism, discrimination, and xenophobia, while advocating for equitable access to education, justice, and economic development, is truly inspiring.”
Chaudhary is a former Kamalari (indentured servant) who was rescued from child domestic servitude at the age of 17. She co-founded the Freed Kamalari Development Forum and established 42 cooperatives to empower former Kamalari girls.
The other GARC awardees this year include Dintie Sule Tayiru from Ghana, Elvis Shakjiri from North Macedonia, Tanya Duarte from Mexico, Tomasa Yarhui Jacomé from Bolivia, and John Leerdam from the Netherlands.
Established in 2023, the GARC award honors civil society leaders nominated by US embassies and consulates around the world.
