President Luis Abinader delivered this morning the Medal of Merit for Dominican Women 2023, to fourteen Dominicans for their career at the national and international level, as International Women’s Day is celebrated today.
The winner in the Education category was Emma Polanco Melo, the first woman to be elected rector of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) and a teacher for more than 30 years.
In the Sports category, Ana Villanueva, the first karate athlete to obtain a medal in a world championship, Central American, Pan-American, Ibero-American championship, premier league and world medalist; while, in the Business category, she received the María Fernández medal, a lawyer of recognized professional solvency, committed to the most important social causes defended by the Dominican population.
William Burgos
As a Rural woman, Juana Ferrer Paredes, feminist activist, environmentalist, nominated in 2005 for the Nobel Peace Prize, through the “Thousand Women for Peace” initiative and known for her fight for the recognition of the rights of women, was awarded. country women. In the Health category, Mirna López was recognized, who has been coordinator of the Nutrition diploma courses at the Technological University of Santiago (UTESA) and adviser of seven research papers, three of which have been published in medical journals. While in the Cultural-Artistic category, Adalgisa Pantaleón was awarded, for her countless contributions to culture and art, her outstanding participation in the “First National Festival of the Voice” and for being the bearer of a voice that has transcended the country, for half a century.
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In the Inclusion category, Inés Rosario, creator of the Program for People with Disabilities within the Taller de Santo Domingo school, was recognized, standing out in accompanying families of people in equal opportunity programs and companies, for the inclusion of people with disabilities. disability in decent employment.
In the Outstanding Women in the Diaspora category, Amelia Santos, one of the founders of the Gender Center of the World Trade Organization and the World Trade and Gender Congress held in Geneva, received the medal.
While in the Military-Police category, Ana Jiménez was recognized, the first female officer to occupy the Directorate of Strategic Communications of the National Police and graduated with the greatest merit from the first mixed promotion.
Mu-kien Sang Ben was also recognized, in the Professional category, writer with thirty published books, columnist in the most important Dominican media, university professor and multi-award-winning researcher. As well as Indira Ramos, in the Entrepreneurship category who, after a spectacular accident, started her Hair Plus business with which she has employed more than 3,200 people and of which 10% of the profits go to social works.
Ingrid Bretón, activist in favor of the rights and respect for the dignity of people living with HIV, which has led her to belong to numerous programs sponsored by national and international agencies, recognized in the Community category. In the category of Political Participation, Besaida Santana, current director of the National Institute of Comprehensive Care for Early Childhood (Inaipi), was awarded for her participation in the political sphere from a very young age.
Medal
The ceremony was held in the Independence Hall of the Ministry of Defense. The Medal of Merit for Women was created by decree number 3013-85, on May 29, 1985 and was awarded for the first time on March 8, 1986.
