Champions for Change
Created in 2006, the Champions for Change Awards celebrates the possibilities of a gender-equitable world and honors the leaders and visionaries helping to make that world a reality. The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) has conferred its prestigious Champions for Change Awards on people who demonstrate remarkable leadership in promoting the rights and well-being of women, girls, and gender and sexual minorities.
Eligibility
- Must be nominated by a member of the ICRW network.
- Possess a minimum of 5 years of experience in women’s rights and inclusive international development.
- Demonstrate experience in the field and direct service.
- Have published works or have a public profile related to women’s rights or gender issues.
- Displayed leadership in catalyzing a movement, advancing legislation, or advocating for the rights of women, girls, and gender and sexual minorities, especially in challenging geopolitical environments.
- Embody the ICRW diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility values. Please refer to our racial equity & inclusion statement for more details.
- Reflects geographic, gender, and racial diversity.
- Be available to participate in the awards ceremony and promote the award on their respective platforms.
- Have no history of abuse, assault, or any other form of inappropriate or unethical behavior.
Selection Committee
Notice: The evaluation process for the Champion for Change awards is subject to change in the upcoming 2023 year. Further details regarding the selection committee shall be disclosed in due course.
Past Awardees
Shabana Basij-Rasikh, School of Leadership Afghanistan (2022)
The first and only boarding school for girls in Afghanistan, co-founded by Shabana Basij-Rasikh, who dedicated her Champion for Change award to the women and girls of Afghanistan.
Darren Walker OBE, President of the Ford Foundation (2022)
Administrator Samantha Power, USAID (2022)
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (2016)
The 2016 Champions for Change Award for Vision to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, for her unwavering commitment to women’s health, well being, and equal citizenship stature, and her courageous vision for legal systems that respect the dignity of all humankind.
Geeta Rao Gupta, UNICEF (2016)
The 2016 Champions for Change Award for Innovation to Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta
for her steadfast leadership throughout her career in securing the health and wellbeing
of women and girls, including her twenty-one years of dedicated service to ICRW.
Her groundbreaking research on the causes of women’s vulnerability to HIV changed
the face of the global fight against AIDS and her pioneering spirit established ICRW’s
presence in India and built its reputation across Asia and the world.
Melinda French Gates, Gates Foundation (2016)
The 2016 Champions for Change Leadership Award to Melinda French Gates for her unwavering commitment to ensuring that every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life. The Award also recognizes her leadership in galvanizing global momentum toward the empowerment of women and girls around the world.
Jill Sheffield, Women Deliver (2016)
The 2016 Champions for Change Lifetime Achievement Award to Jill Sheffield, for her enduring dedication to women’s reproductive rights and lasting contributions to the improvement of maternal health across the world.
Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (2013)
Ambassador Veveer is transformational leader on women’s political, social and economic advancement globally. She has been instrumental in ensuring that women’s basic rights are recognized in policy and practice, and that women and girls everywhere have access to opportunities that not only better their lives, but also contribute to creating more secure, thriving communities.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (2012)
ICRW is proud to award Secretary of State Hillary Clinton the 2012 Champions for Change Award for her lifelong dedication to advocating for the rights, protection and prosperity of women and girls everywhere.
Bill Roedy, MTV Staying Alive Foundation (2010)
ICRW presents the Champion for Change Innovation award to Roedy for his leadership of MTV Networks International’s Staying Alive Campaign, the world’s largest youth focused, HIV and AIDS prevention campaign. The campaign encourages HIV prevention, promotes safer lifestyle choices and fights the stigma and discrimination associated with the disease through diverse global multi-media campaigns across TV, film and digital media.
Tony Walton, Standard Chartered Bank GOAL
