Women of Concern

We will celebrate the sixth anniversary of the Women of Concern Annual Awards Luncheon on Friday 18 October 2024, at The Round Room at The Mansion House in Dublin. 

This inspiring event highlights Concern’s work in 26 of the world’s poorest countries and how we support a vital drive towards global gender equality. 

This year our event has an additional focus on climate change since women and girls are disproportionately affected by its impact. 

By 2050, close to 160 million women and girls worldwide could be pushed into poverty as a direct result of climate change.

Climate change exacerbates gender discrimination and exposes women to increased risks, for instance from food insecurities. Concern is already delivering programmes worldwide which work with communities to adapt to and build resilience to the effects of climate change and which tackle inequalities. 

At our event we will pay tribute to programme participants who embody justice, generosity and compassion in their work and daily lives, and act as inspiring role models for us all. 

We would like to thank EY for sponsoring the Women of Concern 2024 Annual Awards Luncheon. We are so grateful for EY’s support of this important event again in 2024.  

We are grateful to Áine Lawlor, who returns as our MC for Women of Concern 2024. Áine is one of Ireland’s most experienced and insightful broadcasters, having worked on a broad range of radio and television programmes since joining RTE in 1984.

Each year, Women of Concern recognises an individual from the private or public sector for their exceptional achievements and extraordinary leadership in gender equality.

We are delighted in 2024 to honour Dr Salome Mbugua. Born in Kenya and with a life-long commitment to social justice, Dr. Mbugua’s life and work exemplify the transformative power of dedication to gender equality and human rights.

Her career spans over two decades, and she has dedicated her life to advancing the rights of women and girls, particularly those from marginalized communities. 

She is Founder and CEO of AkiDwA (Akina Dada wa Africa), a national network for migrant women in Ireland, Director of Wezesha, an organization aimed at empowering African women and children affected by poverty, conflict, war and violence, and for the last six years, Commissioner for the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), where she has been instrumental in shaping policies that promote human rights and equality across Ireland. 

Concern has been working in Kenya for over 22 years, building resilience to the challenges of climate change, responding to emergencies and providing access to quality education.