The Donald Trump administration is to felicitate missing journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda's wife, Sandya Eknaligoda, as an 'international woman of courage'. 

Sandya Eknaligoda, who is embroiled in a longstanding battle with two successive governments in Sri Lanka seeking justice to her husband, is to receive her award from US First Lady Melania Trump. 

"First Lady Melania Trump and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas A. Shannon will present the 2017 Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award to a group of extraordinary women from around the world tomorrow at the U.S. Department of State," the US Department of State announced. 

"The Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award annually recognizes women around the globe who have demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equality, and women’s empowerment, often at great personal risk. Since the inception of this award in 2007, the Department of State has honored over 100 women from more than 60 different countries," it also added. 

Sharmin Akter, Activist Against Early/ Forced Marriage, Banglades, Malebogo Molefhe, Human Rights Activist, Botswana, Natalia Ponce de Leon, President, Natalia Ponce de Leon Foundation, Colombia, Rebecca Kabugho, Political and Social Activist, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jannat Al Ghezi, Deputy Director of The Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq, Iraq, Major Aichatou Ousmane Issaka, Deputy Director of Social Work at the Military Hospital of Niamey, Niger,Veronica Simogun, Director and Founder, Family for Change Association, Papua New Guinea, Cindy Arlette Contreras Bautista, Lawyer and Founder of Not One Woman Less, Peru, Sister Carolin Tahhan Fachakh, Member, Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (F.M.A.), Syria, Saadet Ozkan, Educator and Gender Activist, Turkey, Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, Blogger and Environmental Activist, Vietnam and Fadia Najib Thabet, Human Rights Activist, Yemen, will be the other award winners.