CEU Hosts US Ambassador and Hungarian Supreme Court Justice for International Women of Courage Award

Hungarian Capital Court Justice Agnes Galajda was presented with the International Women of Courage Award on 4 March 2010 by the US Ambassador to Hungary, Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis. The presentation took place in the CEU Auditorium. The award honors women who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in the advancement of women's rights.

The ceremony began with a welcome address by Professor John Shattuck, President and Rector, CEU, followed by remarks from US Ambassador to Hungary, Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis and the presentation of the award to Agnes Galajda.

Ambassador Kounalakis remarked on Judge Galajda’s exceptional record in raising awareness about domestic violence, women’s rights and human trafficking, and her tireless work organizing conferences and seminars which gathered together judges and other experts to provide intensive professional training on the legal, social and personal ramifications of violence against women. As director for court administration in the Office of the National Council of Justice, Judge Galajda has been instrumental in promoting in-depth analysis of the adjudication practices of Hungarian courts in cases related to domestic violence.

In her acceptance speech, Judge Galajda emphasized the importance of individual valor: “One needs courage to change a standpoint, an attitude. One has to be courageous to admit prejudice, to see that our evaluations are incorrect. Courage is needed to accept new ideas and to work on transferring them to our colleagues”, she stated. She went on to explain that where domestic violence occurs, other forms of discrimination are often present. Judge Galajda ended her speech on a hopeful note: a plight for further collective work to produce deeper and more meaningful reform of judicial and social attitudes towards gender-based violence.

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Agnes Galajda has been a criminal judge since 1986. As director for court administration in the Office of the National Council of Justice, she conducted an analysis of legal practices of Hungarian courts in cases related to domestic violence, and initiated the inclusion of domestic violence issues in the professional training of judges. For five years Judge Galajda has provided legal expertise about domestic violence, the rights of women, and human trafficking. She also founded The Association of Women Judges, which is to become the Hungarian branch of IAWJ (International Association of Women Justices).

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In honor of International Women's Day 2007, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice established the annual Award for International Women of Courage, recognizing women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women's rights and advancement. This is the only Department of State award that pays tribute to emerging women leaders worldwide. Seventy-five women received this award in 2010 from seventy-three countries around the world.