- 2010
- 03/11/2010 - The WGirls NYC 2010 Ties and Tiaras NEW
- 03/10/2010 - Oscar Night America FundraiserNEW
- 03/09/2010 - JDRF Benefit: Walk to Cure Diabetes
- 03/09/2010 - The Society of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's 19th Annual Bunny HopNEW
- 03/05/2010 - Starlight Children's Foundation 25th Annual Gala
- 03/05/2010 - Saks Fifth Avenue Toasts FoundCareNEW
- 03/04/2010 - 2nd Annual St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Dinner NEW
- 03/02/2010 - American Ballet Theatre’s Junior Council and Quest Magazine
- 03/02/2010 - Hanley Center Foundation's 15th Annual Luncheon
- 03/02/2010 - ADAA 22nd Annual Art Show Gala
- 03/01/2010 - The School of American Ballet’s Winter Ball
- 03/01/2010 - Literacy Partners 26th Annual Evening of Readings Gala Kick-off
- 02/27/2010 - New York Junior League 58th Annual Winter Ball
- 02/27/2010 - 2010 GOTOs Annual Black-tie Gala
- 02/27/2010 - Society Ties' Black Tie & Black Jack Casino Night
- 02/26/2010 - Caron Renaissance Gala
- 02/25/2010 - Bailey House 22nd Annual Auction and Party
- 02/25/2010 - Hedge Funds Care 12th Annual New York Open Your Heart to the Children Benefit
- 02/25/2010 - Toast to "Justice is Served" Dinner Benefit
- 02/25/2010 - 2010 Frick Museum Young Fellows Ball
- 02/25/2010 - Chabad’s Children of Chernobyl's Third Annual Purim Ball
- 02/24/2010 - Kick Off Party to Benefit The East Side House Settlement Gala Preview of the 2010 Auto Show
- 02/24/2010 - C-CAP 20th Anniversary Celebration
- 02/24/2010 - POSH Palm Beach 2010 Gala Dinner
- 02/23/2010 - ForEverglades Benefit
- 02/20/2010 - 5th Annual Childhelp Fashion Show and Luncheon
- 02/19/2010 - MacDella Cooper Foundation Fashion Week Finale Party
- 02/17/2010 - Friends of the South Florida Science Museum Toast
- 02/14/2010 - Action Against Hunger Help Heart Haiti Valentine's Day Benefit
- 02/13/2010 - 55th Annual Palm Beach Heart Ball
- 02/09/2010 - Museum of Design Patron Preview event
- 02/09/2010 - Animal Fair and Wendy Diamond’s Yappy Hour
- 02/06/2010 - Lighthouse Center for the Arts’ 46th Annual Beaux Arts Ball
- 02/06/2010 - Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Gem of an Evening Gala
- 02/06/2010 - Norton Museum of Art Bal des Arts 2010
- 02/05/2010 - The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's annual Light The Night Awards Party
- 02/05/2010 - The Princes Ball Mardi Gras Masquerade Gala
- 02/04/2010 - City Chicks 4 Charity & Young Wall Street benefit Chess in Schools
- 02/03/2010 - International Women's Health Coalition 2010 Gala
- 02/02/2010 - The Associates Council Lunch at The Oak Room
- 02/02/2010 - Parsons Dance Opening Night Gala
- 01/31/2010 - KIDs Strikes Back Bowling Party at Chelsea Piers
- 01/30/2010 - 53rd Annual International Red Cross Ball
- 01/30/2010 - Epilepsy Foundation’s Taste of Love Gala 2010
- 01/29/2010 - Partnership for the Homeless’ Auction at the Gagosian Gallery
- 01/28/2010 - Hearts 4 Haiti
- 01/26/2010 - Peggy Adams Unveils Much-anticipated Grace Pavilion
- 01/26/2010 - Art Battles
- 01/25/2010 - Fashionable opening night for Red Cross Show House
- 01/25/2010 - MICHAEL KORS and GRAFF Fashion Show Honors Heart Ball
- 01/24/2010 - National Dance Institute's Benefit Performance of Imagine: A Celebration of John Lennon
- 01/22/2010 - LADACIN Polar Bear Plunge
- 01/21/2010 - Help Haiti Now
- 01/21/2010 - Hospice Evening 2010 with Oscar de la Renta
- 01/21/2010 - UJA-Federation of New York's Generosity Event
- 01/20/2010 - Citymeals-on-Wheels Winter Cocktail Benefit
- 01/20/2010 - The American Antiques Show (TAAS) Benefit Preview Celebrating Texas
- 01/19/2010 - Cocktails for Vital Voices Global Partnership
- 01/14/2010 - Winter Antiques Show Preview Party
- 01/14/2010 - CCE Honors Over the Big Top Chairs at Saks Fifth Avenue
- 01/12/2010 - Zac Posen Fashion Show Featuring Cartier
- 01/12/2010 - Hope For Haiti With The Red Cross
- 01/11/2010 - Young Friends Red Cross Beach Bash
- 01/10/2010 - AICF-American-Israel Cultural Foundation 70th Anniversary Gala and Concer
- 01/07/2010 - Autism Speaks to Young Professionals
- 01/07/2010 - CHIC @ the Ames hotel
- 2009
- 2008
- 2007
2009 Gala for the Health and Dignity of Women
10/08/2009 - By Hall in New York City
A Record Breaking Evening for Americans for UNFPA: Over one million raised at Gala for the Health and Dignity of Women Everywhere
Last night 450 business and community leaders, dignitaries and philanthropists gathered at Gotham Hall in New York City to celebrate the 2009 Americans for UNFPA Honorees for the Health and Dignity of Women.
Five outstanding women were honored for their exemplary leadership. From Bangladesh, Nicaragua, and the United States, the honorees have made significant contributions to improve the lives of women in their communities.
The gala raised over a million, a record for Americans for UNFPA since the inaugural event in 2006. That, coupled with restored U.S. government funding for UNFPA, offers great hope to Anika Rahman, President, Americans for UNFPA.
“Never before in history has there existed such a concerted and organized global movement to eradicate gender inequity,” said Anika Rahman in her opening remarks.
“Here we are in 2009—a year of deep recession—and my heart fills with pride once more because the United States has restored its commitment to UNFPA,” she continued. “Thank you for joining us and our nation's leaders as we signal to the world our renewed intention to participate in a global partnership on behalf of all women.”
Americans for UNFPA, builds moral, political and financial support within the U.S. for the work of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. UNFPA provides women’s health care and promotes the rights of women in 150 countries around the world. It is the largest international source of such assistance.
The 2009 Gala was co-chaired by Wendy Cai-Lee, Managing Director, Deloitte, LLP; Beth Comstock, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, GE and Katherine Farley. Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director, UNFPA was Honorary Chair of the event. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also took the stage to congratulate Americans for UNFPA and the 2009 Honorees.
The 2009 American Honorees are:
 Laura Klauberg, Vice President, Global Media, Unilever
 Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey
 Dr. Mary Lake Polan, Founder, Eritrean Women’s Project
The 2009 International Awards are named for Vicki Sant. Mrs. Sant is deeply committed to the promotion of women’s health and well-being worldwide. She strives to assure universal access to reproductive health care and services for women so they can lead healthier, more productive and rewarding lives.
The 2009 recipients of the Victoria Sant Americans for UNFPA Awards for the Health and Dignity of Women are:
 Francisca del Carmen Espinoza Ortiz, Director, Red Nacional de Casa Maternas, Nicaragua
 Monira Rahman, Director, Acid Survivors Foundation, Bangladesh
Ms. Espinoza and Ms. Rahman each received a $5,000 USD grant to support their in-country programs. The recipients of the Victoria Sant Awards were selected in May 2009 by an independent jury. Nominations were submitted from many of the 150 countries with UNFPA field programs. The 2009 jury included Kavita Bali, Corporate Social Responsibility, Pfizer; Kelly Flynn, Senior Executive Producer, CNN; Michelle Peluso, President & CEO, Travelocity (former); Dhanusha Sivajee, Director, Affiliate Advanced Product & Online Marketing, HBO; and Maysoon Zayid, Actor and Activist.
With UNFPA funds, the international honorees combat some of the most challenging problems facing women around the world:
Francisca del Carmen Espinoza Ortiz leads the Board of Directors for the Red Nacional de Casas Maternas — Maternity Homes National Network. She helps raise maternal survival rates and the value of women’s lives throughout Nicaragua. Under Francisca’s leadership, Casas Maternas provides comprehensive medical care and temporary shelter to more than 11,000 women annually. She relies on UNFPA to equip new homes and strengthen those in existence. Today, the Casas Maternas includes 60 homes.
Monira Rahman is a human rights defender, who works to create a society where women live a life free from the fear of violence. For seventeen years, her efforts have centered on ending violence, abuse and discrimination against women in Bangladesh. As Executive Director of the Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) Monira has raised awareness and brought about institutional change, including new laws to discourage attackers and prevent future violence. ASF runs a 20-bed hospital and treats 600-700 acid attack survivors annually—many were attacked years ago and never received care. Through ASF, survivors also access mental health services and employment opportunities.
With corporate and government support, the American Honorees influence change through their daily work:
Laura Klauberg goes beyond personal and geographic boundaries to leverage corporate and community support for a woman’s right to a healthy life. As Vice President, Global Media at Unilever she strives to meet people’s everyday needs for nutrition and hygiene all over the world and to add vitality to life. Laura enhances this mission with her professional and personal commitment to address the social and economic inequities that prevent health and vitality among women.
Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey is one of the strongest and most outspoken legislators working to secure this country’s moral, financial and political support for UNFPA. She is also a leader in the fight against domestic violence, having secured record increases in federal funding for battered women's shelters, and is a longtime champion of human rights and of enhancing the role of women in development.
Dr. Mary Lake Polan has drastically improved maternal health services in Eritrea, a small country on the eastern coast of Africa. As Founder of the Eritrean Women's Project, Dr. Polan's success has increased local maternal health capacity in Eritrea through support and training of local medical professionals in medical and educational institutions. Current plans include construction of a maternity waiting home for women anticipating surgical repair and those whose pregnancies require ready access to emergency care.
To learn more about the 2009 Americans for UNFPA Honorees and Gala please visit www.americansforunfpa.org. To schedule an interview or for high resolution photos please contact amartyn@americansforunfpa.org.
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, provides women's health care and promotes the rights of women around the world. Americans for UNFPA is dedicated to building American support for the work of UNFPA and to increasing the United States' moral, political and financial contribution to the organization.
Photos: Melanie Einzig
Photo Gallery
Click here for more pictures and a slideshow. You can also click on any of the photos to start slideshow.
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
- Tag Photo
