Global Leadership Awards


The Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards are annual awards that honor international women leaders in the fields of human rights, economic empowerment, or political reform. They are given by the American organization Vital Voices Global Partnership.

Description

The inaugural awards were given in 2002. The event takes place annually in early spring at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
The 2009 program was named that year's "Most Inspirational Event" by Washington Life magazine.
Past presenters include Ben Affleck, Christiane Amanpour, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chairman Sheila Bair, Candice Bergen, Wolf Blitzer, Laura Bush, United States Secretary of State and Vital Voices co-founder Hillary Clinton, Sally Field, Honorary Co-Chair Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Angelina Jolie, Avon CEO Andrea Jung, Angelique Kidjo, Nicholas Kristof, Lisa Ling, Time Inc. CEO Ann S. Moore, Suze Orman, Queen Rania of Jordan, Zain Verjee, board member Diane von Fürstenberg, Reese Witherspoon, Brian Williams, and many others.

Awards

  • Leadership in Public Life Award
  • Human Rights Award
  • Economic Empowerment 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