Rita Thapa to Receive 8th Annual Fairness Award

Rita Thapa to Receive 8th Annual Fairness Award

Created: Friday, 23 September 2016 12:48

Rita Thapa to Receive 8th Annual Fairness Award

Grassroots leader honored May 17, 2018 at National Museum of Women in the Arts in D.C.

Washington, DC – The Global Fairness Initiative (GFI), an international NGO dedicated to improving the lives and livelihoods of the working poor, has announced that Nepali Social Entrepreneur Rita Thapa will be the recipient of the 8th Annual Fairness Award presented in Washington, DC in May.

Ms. Thapa is the founder of Tewa, a Nepali organization that invests in women to organize, advocate collectively, and upend discriminatory policies and practices in Nepal and across the globe. Tewa has committed to expanding local sources of revenue for grant-making and investment to break a cycle of dependency on foreign assistance and to lead a movement for locally-owned and financed development initiatives. Rita’s selection as the 2018 Fairness Award Honoree is in recognition of a career committed to creating more equitable, sustainable opportunities for poor and vulnerable communities, and particularly women. She has put the power for change in the hands of the people and has amplified the voice of women to, in her words, “organize collectively, challenge systems, strengthen their leadership, and overcome injustice.”

“The Fairness Award celebrates leaders like Rita Thapa who have given a voice to the invisible and enabled opportunity and justice for vulnerable and impoverished people everywhere. Rita exemplifies the best of what we can be when we put our common humanity first, and we are honored to recognize her with the 2018 Fairness Award,” said Karen Tramontano, Founder of the Global Fairness Initiative.

The Fairness Award is presented annually at a ceremony in Washington, DC and is hosted by the Global Fairness Initiative. Honorees are nominated by a selection committee designated by the GFI Board of Directors and the Award is presented to the Honorees by distinguished luminaries who have included Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, President José María Figueres and others. Past honorees include former heads of State, Labor and Human Rights leaders, Social Entrepreneurs, CEOs and grassroots leaders from over a dozen countries and 5 continents. The 2018 Fairness Award ceremony will be held on May 17 at the National Museum for Women in the Arts in Washington, DC. Learn more at www.fairnessaward.org