The Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards honor international women leaders in the fields of human rights, economic empowerment, or political reform. The event takes place annually in early spring at the
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in
Washington, D.C.[1]
The 2009 program was named that year's "Most Inspirational Event" by Washington Life Magazine.[2] The 15th annual Global Leadership Awards were held on March 9, 2016.
Leadership in Public Life Award (formerly Political Participation Award)
Human Rights Award
Economic Empowerment Award (formerly Economic Opportunity Award)
Fern Holland Award, named in honor of the young lawyer who was killed in
Iraq while working to create centers for Iraqi women. The award is given to a woman who works for human rights and women's empowerment.
Rising Voices Award, given to a young woman leader.
Global Trailblazer
10,000 Women Entrepreneurial Achievement Award, part of a partnership between
Vital Voices and
Goldman Sachs as an initiative to provide women around the world with entrepreneurial education.
Past recipients
2002
Economic Opportunity Award: Dawn Marole,
South Africa
Fern Holland Award: The Women of
Ukraine's
Orange Revolution (representatives:
Nataliya Dmytruk, Oksana Gorbunova, Kateryna Gorbunova, Oksana Yarosh, Yana Deringer, and Ludmila Merlian)
Special Recognition: The Women of
Kuwait (representatives: Lubna Al-Qazi, Lulwa Al-Qatami, Fatima Hussien Al-Essa, Noureya Al-Saddani, Lulwa Al-Mulla,
Rola Dashti, and Ghada Al-Khalaf)