The US State Department honors Yemeni activist Amat Al-Silh Al-Hajj with the 2025 Courage Award.

The US State Department honored activist Amat Al-Salam Al-Hajj, head of the Yemeni Association of Mothers of Abductees, with the 2025 Women of Courage Award.

This came during a ceremony held Tuesday evening at the ministry's headquarters, attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, First Lady Melania Trump, and a number of diplomatic and human rights figures, including representatives from the Yemeni embassy in Washington.

The Yemeni Embassy in Washington expressed its pride in this honor, which it said came "as a result of years of hard work and humanitarian efforts by activist Umma Al-Salam and her fellow mothers of abductees to defend and champion the victims, convey their voices to the world, and expose the crimes and violations of the terrorist Houthi militia."

Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak congratulated Al-Hajj on winning the International Women of Courage Award, considering it a source of pride for women and the Yemeni people in general, and a testament to the influential and effective role she plays in defending victims and the oppressed, and informing the world of the systematic crimes committed by the terrorist Houthi militias against the abducted and forcibly disappeared.

In a phone call with activist Al-Hajj, Bin Mubarak emphasized that this honor is a tribute to all the victims and every Yemeni woman who has shouldered the responsibility of defending rights and dignity against the oppressors.

He commended the courage of the head of the Abductees' Mothers Association and all Yemeni mothers, their relentless struggle for the freedom of their sons and families, and the great courage they are displaying in confronting the criminality and arrogance of the terrorist Houthi militia.

He noted that her inspiring struggle will remain a source of strength for all who seek to amplify the voice of the victim and champion justice and humanity, reaffirming the government's support for their efforts and that the release of those abducted, forcibly disappeared, and held captive in the prisons of the terrorist Houthi militias remains a top priority.

For her part, Al-Haj expressed her appreciation for the Prime Minister's noble sentiments and his congratulations on her victory, which she considered an honor for the struggle of all mothers of abductees. She affirmed that the association would continue its efforts to defend the abductees until their release, the emptying of all prisons, the prosecution of perpetrators of violations, and redress for the damages.

On Friday, the US State Department announced that Al-Hajj had won the award for "her powerful voice in drawing international attention to the plight of thousands of Yemeni detainees and their families."

“Through her association’s unique approach of mobilizing families and demanding accountability for violations committed by all parties to the conflict, Ms. Al-Hajj has played a pivotal role in documenting the abductions of more than 9,500 people and securing the release of 950 forcibly disappeared persons,” she said in the announcement.

She explained that Al-Hajj was honored for her courage and dedication in documenting violations and pressing for the release of abductees, stressing that "Al-Hajj's courage and dedication continue to inspire human rights defenders around the world, making her a beacon of hope in the face of adversity."

Al-Hajj heads the Association of Mothers of Abductees, a Yemeni human rights organization formed by mothers, wives, and relatives of abductees and forcibly disappeared persons, as well as female activists working in the field of freedoms and human rights. The organization works to address the issues of abductees, arbitrarily detained persons, and forcibly disappeared persons in the country.