On March 9, Secretary of State Antony J.Blinken, along with the First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden, hosted the annual International Women of Courage (IWOC) Awards ceremony at the White House and presented awards to eleven 2023 IWOC awardees, recognizing their exceptional courage, strength, and leadership.

Brigadier General Bolor Ganbold from Mongolia was honored for her nearly 30 years of courageous service to Mongolian military and the series of firsts she has achieved, which have broken barriers and opened the door for other women to follow. On March 18, 2022, Brigadier General G.Bolor became the first woman Brigadier general in the Mongolian Armed Forces. Her experiences as a member of both the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad in 2010 and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan in 2013, as well as serving as a Peacekeeping Affairs Officer within the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, have guided her efforts in seeking to reduce the various barriers that prevent women from fully developing their potential as peacekeepers.

U.S. Ambassador to Mongolia Richard Buangan said, “The U.S. Embassy in Mongolia is proud that Brigadier General B.Ganbold has been selected as one of 11 women leaders to receive the International Women of Courage Award. It is the most prestigious award given by the U.S. Secretary of State to women from around the world who demonstrate exceptional courage, strength, and leadership in advocating peace, justice, human rights, gender equality, and the empowerment of women and girls, often at personal risk and sacrifice. I hope that her story and the story of other IWOC Awardees will serve as sources of inspiration for women and girls around the world to break gender barriers, advance equality, and build brighter futures for all. As the first woman Brigadier general in the Mongolian Armed Forces, G.Bolor has opened the door for women to rise in military ranks that are traditionally reserved for men and paved the path for women in uniform to serve as leaders in UN peacekeeping.”