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Esther Chávez Cano awarded 2008 Cultural Freedom Award

Esther Chávez Cano is a human rights activist who addresses the horrific effects of widespread violence against women and children in Juarez, Mexico, one of the most crime-ridden cities on the planet. She has worked relentlessly to bring to the world’s attention the hundreds of murders of Mexican women and girls in the Juarez area. She has founded or co-founded several non-governmental organizations defending the rights of women and children, including Casa Amiga, a violence treatment and prevention center that has sheltered thousands of victims of sexual crimes and other types of violence in the border region of Chihuahua, Mexico. Services at Casa Amiga include psychological counseling, medical assistance, and legal aid for the victims of domestic violence and incest. Casa Amiga also educates the public on the rights of women and violence prevention in general. Casa Amiga is a model, both nationally and internationally, for empowering victims of violence. Ms. Chávez Cano has received many awards for her work in promoting the understanding and prevention of violence against women, including the 2008 National Human Rights Prize in Mexico (El Premio Nacional de los Derechos Humanos).