Vital Voices 2013 Global Leadership Awards

The theme echoing through the evening was Vital Voice’s Founder Hillary Rodman Clinton’s historic pronouncement in China that “women’s rights are human rights.” The awards were presented in the Kennedy Center Opera House on April 2. Clinton paid glowing tribute to Vital Voices co-founder and chair emeritus Melanne Verveer, the first Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues. Presenter Diane von Furstenberg said, “I have never met a woman who is not strong” as “Fear is not an option.” Honorees came from Cambodia, Brazil, Palestine and Somalia. Vice President Joe Biden spoke movingly of his championship for women’s rights and then presented the Solidarity Award to the Kant brothers who seek to combat human trafficking and sexual violence in their native India.