| Formation | 1974; 50 years ago (1974) |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Website | www |
| Formerly called | Women's Forum of New York |
The International Women's Forum (IWF), founded in 1974 as the Women's Forum of New York, is an invitation-only women's organization with some 7,800 members. Its mission is "to support the women leaders of today and tomorrow". The IWF hosts two conferences each year to address women's issues and it provides intensive leadership training programs for women. The Leadership Foundation, Inc., a supporting organization, provides a Fellows Program and the Women Athletes Business Network (WABN) Program.
Members
The IWF has been described as "highly influential." Notable members have included Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Sandra Day O'Connor, Coretta King, Betty Friedan, and Katharine Graham, and include "inventors, entrepreneurs, CEOs, heads of state, academics, scientists, astronauts, Olympic athletes, artists, filmmakers, financiers, philanthropists, and more".
History
The group started as the Women's Forum of New York, founded in 1974 by Elinor Guggenheimer, Muriel Siebert, Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Muriel Fox. Over the next few years it expanded to Atlanta, Chicago, Colorado, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. In 1982 it became international with the addition of the United Kingdom and was renamed the International Women's Forum in 1987. It is active in Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East as well as the United States.
"Women Who Make a Difference"
The IWF maintains an International Hall of Fame and confers an annual "Women Who Make a Difference" award. Past awardees have included:
- 2000: Italian politician Beatrice Rangoni Machiavelli
- 2010: American judge Leigh Saufley
- 2011: Singaporean urban planner and architect Dr. Cheong Koon Hean
- 2012: Nyamko Sabuni, Swedish Minister for Gender Equality
- 2014: Zanele Mbeki, founder of the Women's Development Banking Trust and former First Lady of South Africa
- 2015: Sister Stanislaus Kennedy, founder of Focus Ireland
- 2016: American lawyer Gloria Allred
- 2016: Ilya Espino de Marotta, engineer who led the Panama Canal Expansion Project
- 2017: American lawyer and academic Danielle Conway
- 2018: American author and organizer Charlotte Bunch
References
- ^ "About Us Overview". International Women's Forum. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
- ^ "About Us Overview". International Women's Forum.
- Ginsberg, Steven (January 18, 1998). "Crashing Through the Glass Ceiling with Teamwork". The Washington Post.
- ^ "The President of the EU Economic and Social Committee, Beatrice Rangoni Machiavelli, Italy, is awarded the international prize 'Woman who makes a difference'". European Commission. September 15, 2000.
- "Women Who Make a Difference". International Women's Forum. Archived from the original on 2021-09-23. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
- "Leigh I. Saufley, Dean". University of Maine School of Law. Archived from the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
- "Leigh Ingalls Saufley". Ballotpedia. Archived from the original on 19 March 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
- "NAU president emerita receives international women's award". Northern Arizona University. August 23, 2011.
- Burgess, Don (August 29, 2012). "Premier Cox recognized as a trailblazer; Chosen for a 'Women Who Make a Difference Award' by Women's Forum". The Bermuda Sun.
- "Zanele Mbeki, Founder and Patron of WDB". WDB Trust.
- "Prof. Dr. Funda Sivrikaya Şerifoğlu received '2015 Women Who Make A Difference Award'". Istanbul Bilgi University. November 16, 2015.
- "Introducing the 2019 National Women's Hall of Fame Inductees". National Women's Hall of Fame. March 8, 2019.
- "In Conversation With Ilya Espino de Marotta: Engineering is for everyone!". University of Alberta. September 13, 2018.
- "Dean Danielle Conway honored by the 2017 International Women's Forum". University of Maine School of Law.
- "Bunch, Charlotte". Rutgers University.