Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton presents the university’s annual Hillary Rodham Clinton Awards for Advancing Women in Peace and Security to British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Dr. Denis Mukwege, founder of the Panzi hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton presented the university’s annual Hillary Rodham Clinton Awards for Advancing Women in Peace and Security Tuesday night in historic Gaston Hall.
The awards were given to British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Dr. Denis Mukwege, founder of the Panzi hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), is also an award recipient this year for his leadership on integrating women, peace and security into NATO operations but was unable to attend.
Clinton credited the three award winners for their dedicated efforts in championing women’s rights globally.
“When women are excluded and marginalized, we all suffer: We miss out on their experience, their knowledge, their skills, their talents,” says Clinton. “But when women and girls have the chance to participate fully alongside men and boys in making peace, in growing the economy, in political life, in every facet of existence, then we all benefit. And the three men we honor today understand this and have put their considerable prestige and efforts behind that.”
The Hillary Rodham Clinton Awards
The Hillary Rodham Clinton Awards were created by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS), led by executive director and Georgetown alumna Melanne Verveer.
Verveer most recently served as the U.S. Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues, a position to which President Barack Obama nominated her in 2009.
Then-Secretary of State Clinton announced the formation of GIWPS when she unveiled the U.S. National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Securityat Georgetownin December 2011. She currently serves as the Honorary Founding Chair of the Institute.
“We are honored to present the Hillary Rodham Clinton Awards for Advancing Women in Peace and Security, in recognition of the extraordinary leadership of Secretary Clinton and of the contributions of our awardees,” said Georgetown President John J. DeGioia.