Our Annual Awards

Women of Peace Corps Legacy gives 2 annual leadership awards that honor women leaders and the two organizations they select.

The awards:

  1. The Deborah Harding Women of Achievement Award that honors Peace Corps women whose contributions have made a significant and lasting impact on the lives of women and girls.
  2. The Kate Raftery Emerging Leader Award that honors young professional woman who demonstrates outstanding leadership and an ongoing commitment to improving the lives of women and girls.

Visit the award pages linked above to read more about our awardees from each year. The awardees have the opportunity to speak at our annual Women and Girls Win! event each October and to discuss their organizations and how women and girls can succeed and win in the world today.

Watch our 2025 Celebration!

Nomination Requirements

  • Nominees must be women with an acknowledged connection to Peace Corps. This includes: Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and/or current or former Peace Corps Staff (U.S. or Host Country Staff).
  • Nominees must have made or be making significant and lasting impact in the lives of women and girls. This can be widely interpreted to include all the different areas where one can have an impact – health, education, the environment, mentoring, sports, economic empowerment etc.
  • Nominations must be supported with concrete examples that demonstrate the scope and long-term impact of the nominees’ efforts to benefit women and girls in 800 words or less.
  • The nominee must be living.
  • WPCL recommends that you keep your nomination confidential in case your nominee is not selected.

Evaluation Process

  1. The evaluation committee will be  determined by the Women of Peace Corps Legacy Awards Committee co-chairs.
  2. All nominees will be evaluated against other candidate submissions.
  3. Nominations will be reviewed for the unique and significant contributions of the nominees, scope or reach of their work, and their impact on women and girls.
  4. Nominations are accepted February 15th to May 15th.
  5. The award will be made to one individual who will be recognized and celebrated at a special awards event every year.
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