The United Nations Population Award, which every year honours an individual and/or institution for outstanding contributions to population and reproductive health questions, was presented to the 2020 laureates during a virtual ceremony held on Thursday, 10 December 2020.
This year's winners are HelpAge India, in the institutional category, and Her Majesty Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck, Queen Mother of Bhutan, in the individual category.
Coordinator of the UN in Bhutan, to Queen Mother
Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Bhutan
Her Majesty Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck is a longtime champion of sexual and reproductive health and rights and the need to end violence against women, girls and children in Bhutan. Among her many achievements in recent decades, she has helped to create an enabling environment to openly discuss sexual reproductive health in the kingdom and founded a volunteer organization called “Respect, Educate, Nurture and Empower Women” (RENEW) in 2004. She has also been a Goodwill Ambassador for UNFPA for more than 20 years.
© HelpAge India
HelpAge India has been working with and for disadvantaged elderly people in India for nearly four decades, enabling them to live active, dignified and healthier lives. Working in 20 States across India, the organization also provides employment opportunities to older people, advocates for their rights in the community and helps local organizations to support them.
About the award:
Each year, the Committee for the United Nations Population Award honours an individual and/or institution in recognition of outstanding contributions to population and reproductive health issues and solutions. The Award was established by the General Assembly in 1981, in resolution 36/201, and was first presented in 1983. It consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a monetary prize. The Committee for the United Nations Population Award is comprised of 10 UN Member States, with United Nations Secretary-General and UNFPA Executive Director serving as ex-officio members. Nominations for the award are accepted through 31 December of each year. UNFPA serves as its secretariat.
