Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards
Women’s Rights are Human Rights

Over 500 friends and supporters of Vital Voices came to celebrate the organization’s fifth anniversary and to salute the 2005 Global Leadership award winners at the Kennedy Center on Tuesday, April 26. Julia Ormond, Elizabeth Cheney, Michelle Norris, Sally Field and Andrea Mitchell presented the awards to four brave women who were honored for pioneering political, social and economic advancement in their respective countries. To show bi-partisan support, Senators Hillary Clinton and Kay Bailey Hutchinson addressed the crowd together. Clinton explained that women make up a majority of the world’s poor, and are often not entitled to the same inheritance and are less likely to get educated than their brothers. Hutchinson added that, “Society as a whole suffers when women are not equal partners. They even have a lower domestic national product.” In a light moment, Hutchinson (who is rumored to be thinking of running for Governor of Texas or for president in 2008) said “I expect to see a woman president in my lifetime.” The audience of course broke out in laughter and applause as the two women senators leaned together, smiling.

Melanne Verveer and Judy Collins	Vivian Fernandez de Torrijos and Sen. Hillary Clinton

Kathleen Matthews and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson	Michelle DuPont

Laura Handaman and Judith McHale	Julia Ormand, Jon Rubin and Sally Field

Arnaud de Borchgrave and Netherlands Amb. Boudewijn van Eenennaam

Photos by Kyle Samperton and Sharon Farmer