NEW YORK-Jan. 22, 2007- The International Women's Health Coalition (IWHC) announced today that it will hold its Sixth Annual Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City on the evening of January 23, 2007. This year’s gala is being underwritten by De Beers.

Each year IWHC selects individuals that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to promote and protect the health and human rights of women and girls around the world. This year, IWHC will recognize two global leaders who embody the principles of empowerment championed by IWHC.

The evening’s honorees are Jan Egeland, outgoing United Nations Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, and recently appointed a special advisor to the Secretary-General on issues of conflict; and Allan Rosenfield, Dean of the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University. Both are staunch and outspoken supporters of women’s health and rights. Human rights activist and IWHC grantee Monica Carrillo of Peru will also speak about her work with Afro-descendant youth in some of her country’s most disadvantaged communities.

"De Beers understands that securing a strong future for people everywhere depends on empowering women and girls to more fully contribute to their communities and their countries," said Nicky Oppenheimer, Chairman of De Beers Group. "It is for this reason De Beers is supporting IWHC through their Annual Gala."

IWHC President Adrienne Germain adds, "IWHC’s work, and our partnership with the De Beers Group, aims to shape a better future for the world’s girls and women-a future in which they are healthy and safe, and all children can thrive. We are so pleased that De Beers has become part of this annual celebration of our vision."

For more information about the gala, please contact:
Jennifer Kidwell
International Women’s Health Coalition
New York, NY
212-979-8500 or jkidwell@iwhc.org

Rosalind Kainyah
De Beers
Washington, DC
202-674-9440 or Rosalind.kainyah@debeersgroup.com

The International Women’s Health Coalition is a New York-based organization, working to promote and protect the health and rights of women and girls worldwide for more than two decades. Visit www.iwhc.org for more information.

De Beers was established in 1888 and is the world’s leading diamond company with unrivalled expertise in exploration, mining and marketing of rough diamonds. De Beers and its partner companies employ more than 21,000 men and women in 25 countries on five continents. Visit www.debeersgroup.com for more information.

De Beers

De Beers

The De Beers Group of Companies has a leading role in the diamond exploration, diamond mining, diamond retail, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors.

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