ICRW welcomes Her Royal Highness to the Leadership Council, honors former ICRW President Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta with award

The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) recognized two global champions for gender equality at a ceremony at the Library of Congress on Wednesday, September 28, 2016. Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess of Denmark was formally welcomed as a member of ICRW’s Leadership Council and ICRW President Emeritus Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta was recognized with the 2016 Champions for Change Award for Innovation.

“It is a great pleasure to honor these two inspirational leaders, who have made it their life’s work to achieve a more just and equitable world for all people,” said ICRW President Dr. Sarah Degnan Kambou. “The Crown Princess is a passionate advocate for the empowerment of women and girls, an embodiment of Denmark’s national and global leadership on gender equality. And Dr. Rao Gupta’s groundbreaking research on women and HIV transformed the global fight against AIDS, just as her leadership at ICRW extended the reach and impact of our research.”

The Champions for Change Award honors leaders and visionaries working to create a gender equitable world. ICRW’s Leadership Council was founded by Dr. Rao Gupta in 2008 and is chaired by renowned economist and philosopher, Dr. Amartya Sen. The Council is comprised of influential global leaders committed to ICRW’s mission who provide strategic guidance to increase the impact of the institution’s work.

“ICRW is an organization that aligns closely with my personal belief that all human beings are born free and equal in rights and dignity” the Crown Princess said.

At the ceremony in the Member’s Room at the Library of Congress, ICRW Board Chair Dr. Elizabeth Griffith officially welcomed the Crown Princess to the Leadership Council. Her Royal Highness then presented the Champions for Change Award to Dr. Rao Gupta.

“I am honored and touched by this award because it is from ICRW,” Dr. Rao Gupta said on receiving her award. “It was a true pleasure to be able to work with colleagues around the world who shared my passion to advance equality for women and girls by demonstrating, through evidence, why it must be done and how it can be done. I am forever grateful for the opportunity that afforded me to put my passion into action.”

The ceremony and reception is the most recent in a series of events celebrating ICRW’s 40^th anniversary. Today’s ceremony is the second time this year Her Royal Highness has presented the Champions for Change Award: she presented awards to Melinda Gates and Jill Sheffield at a ceremony at the Women Deliver conference in Copenhagen in May. On International Women’s Day, the Embassy of Denmark to the United States hosted the first Champions for Change reception, honoring U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. ICRW will round out their anniversary year with a reception in December to open their newest regional office in Kampala, Uganda.The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) today recognized two global champions for gender equality at a ceremony at the Library of Congress. Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess of Denmark was formally welcomed as a member of ICRW’s Leadership Council and ICRW President Emeritus Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta was recognized with the 2016 Champions for Change Award for Innovation.