Vital Voices Global Partnership is attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland January 16-19 to ensure world leaders do not forget about the women and girls fighting for basic human rights in Iran, women in Afghanistan who can no longer attend university and work at international organizations, the war-ravaged women of Ukraine trying to survive, and all women taking on the world’s greatest challenges.
A new Vital Voices Impact Fund was announced at an exclusive invitation-only event in partnership with U.N. Women and Project Everyone on Monday, Jan. 16 at the Global Goals House. The “Five Comes First Dinner” put the urgent need for action on gender equality at the front of the week’s conversations and demonstrated the most inspiring partnerships and actions being undertaken around the world.
This $100 million fund, chaired by philanthropist, fashion designer and Vital Voices Board Member Diane von Fürstenberg, will provide the training, amplification, mentoring, and networks women leaders need to succeed.
Featured speakers at the dinner and related events include von Fürstenberg, climate activist Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Iranian activist Nazanin Boniadi, Ukranian activist Iryna Nykorak, and Vital Voices President & CEO Alyse Nelson.
MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS:
- CNBC: WEF Davos: Women Left Behind
Featuring Diane von Furstenberg and Iryna Nykorak - Hub Culture Studio Davos 2023: Launch of Vital Voices Impact Fund
Featuring Diane von Furstenberg and Alyse Nelson - Radio Davos: Davos 2023 Day 2
Featuring Nazanin Boniadi (starting at 26:55) - Politico: Davos Confidential Podcast
Featuring Diane von Furstenberg - The National: Davos hears calls from Iranian women for more western action against regime
Featuring Nazanin Boniadi
- Elle España: Las 6 cosas que las mujeres hemos aprendido del Foro de Davos (The 6 things that women have learned from the Davos Forum)
Featuring Nazanin Boniadi
Vital Voices is proud of our incredible impact over the past year.
A Historic Vote with a Historic Result – Vital Voices partnered with a group of Iranian women leaders and the artist collective For Freedoms in a successful campaign to remove the Islamic Republic of Iran from the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women.
Evacuation & Resettlement of 1,000+ Afghan Women Leaders – Vital Voices partnered with Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, Mina’s List and a coalition of other groups to evacuate at-risk Afghan women leaders to Albania and resettlement in Canada.
The World’s First Global Embassy for Women Opened – The Vital Voices Global Headquarters for Women’s Leadership opened its doors in the heart of Washington, D.C.’s “Equality Corridor.”’ This first-of-its-kind physical and digital space, an “Embassy for Women” will be the epicenter of activity for global women leaders and their allies, and the home of the Vital Voices global support team.
Impact Fund Inquiries: Liam Dall LiamDall@vitalvoices.org
Media Inquiries: Markette Sheppard MarketteS@vitalvoices.org
About Vital VoicesFor 25 years, Vital Voices Global Partnership has been investing in women leaders solving the world’s greatest challenges. We are “venture catalysts,” identifying those with a bold vision for change and partnering with them to make that vision a reality. We scale and accelerate their impact through long-term investments to expand the skills, connections, capacity, and visibility of women leaders.
Vital Voices provided early support for leaders who went on to become Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, U.S. Youth Poet Laureates, prime ministers and breakthrough social entrepreneurs. Since its founding in 1997, Vital Voices has directly supported more than 20,000 women changemakers across 184 countries and built the most powerful global network of women leaders who are daring to reimagine a more equitable world for all.
