“Most Inspirational Event of the Year for 2009”

– Washington Life Magazine

About the Awards

The Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards honor and celebrate women leaders who are working to strengthen democracy, increase economic opportunity and protect human rights around the world.

The event takes place annually in early spring at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C., and it usually sells out soon after tickets become available.

2009 Honorees

Somaly Mam, Cambodia	Temituokpe Esisi, Nigeria	Sadiqa Basiri Saleem, Pakistan	Marceline Kongolo-Bicé, Democratic Republic of Congo
Chouchou Namegabe, Democratic Republic of Congo

2008 Honorees

Kakenya Ntaiya, Kenya	Sheikha Lubna al-Qasimi	Laura Alonso, Argentina	Mariane Pearl, France
Khin Ohmar On Behalf of the Women of Burma	Charm Tong On Behalf of the Women of Burma

2007 Honorees

Maria Pacheco, Guatemala	Margaret Alva, India	Awut Deng Acuil, Sudan	Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh
Dr. Gao Yaojie, China	Guo Jianmei, China	Wang Xingjuan, China	Xie Lihua, China

2006 Honorees

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia	Rita Chaikin, Israel	Mukhtar Mai, Pakistan	Women Leaders of Kuwait

2005 Honorees

Jaya Arunachalam, India	Latifa Jbabdi, Morocco	Sochua Mu, Cambodia	Ukrainian Civil Society Leaders

2004 Honorees

Amat al Ali Alsoswa, Yemen	Reyna McPeck, Venezuela	Marina Pisklakova-Parker, Russia	Fatima Hassan Mohammed Al-Migdadi, Iraq
Marie Lucie Bonhomme	Danielle St-Lot, Haiti

2003 Honorees

Annabella de León, Guatemala	Saisuree Chutikul, Thailand	Arije Al Amad, Jordan

2002 Honorees

Inez McCormack, Northern Ireland	Dawn Marole, South Africa	Oksana Horbunova, Ukraine	Farida Azizi, Sadoozai Panah, Sima Azimi, Belquis Ahmadi, Zieba Shorshamley, Shahla Popal, Sara Amiryar On Behalf of the Women of Afghanistan