Concern Honors Their Women Of The Year

More than 300 friends and supporters gathered for Concern Worldwide's annual Women of Concern Awards Luncheon at the Hilton to pay tribute to two extraordinary women: Loretta Brennan Glucksman, chairperson, The American Ireland Fund; and Beth A. Brooke, global vice chair-public policy, sustainability and stakeholder engagement at Ernst & Young.

Both women were recognized for their contributions to public service, and their efforts to empower women throughout the world. Glucksman received the 2009 "Woman of the Year Humanitarian Award," while Brooke earned the 2009 "Woman of the Year Leadership Award." They were each presented with contemporary handmade sculptures carved out of 4,500-year-old Irish bog oak. Lynda Baquero, WNBC-New York news anchor, served as emcee.

Prior to the award ceremony, Joanne Smyth, Concern's new Assistant Country Director in Rwanda, riveted the audience with an account of her two years in the Democratic Republic of Congo, speaking of the courage and resilience of women displaced by conflict-many of whom have been victims of sexual violence.

"Displacement," she said, "is a nice word-but what it actually means is that you have to run from your home, abandoning all you own." Support for Concern, said Smyth, makes it possible for mothers to learn trades and earn income. Smyth cited one mother as saying, "now I don't have to go begging anymore; now I can feed my family."

Describing women as the world's "untapped resource," Ernst & Young's Brooke noted "that investing in women makes great sense, especially during the current economic downturn: they are excellent managers at all levels and are very generous in terms of investing profits in their communities."

Brooke also called for not just stepped-up collaboration but full-fledged partnerships linking government, NGOs and the corporate world - "NGOs have the hearts and minds, governments the power to convene people, and the private sector the resources and technology" to find solutions to all the world's problems.

Glucksman, praising the selflessness and talent of Concern staff around the world, took time to personally salute Concern US Chairman of the Board Tom Moran, who is chairman, president & CEO of Mutual of America. She said that women's empowerment is a benefit for all of society-in wealthy nations as well as in developing countries.

Concerns works in 28 of the world's poorest countries, including 17 sub-Saharan African nations, and reaches some 23 million people. The organization's goal is the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty and the reduction of suffering.

Programs focus on emergency relief and long-term development work in the areas of health, HIV and AIDS, livelihoods and education.