The 4W-UNESCO Chair Prize on Gender, Wellbeing and a Culture of Peace is sponsored by the 4W Initiative to recognize emerging leaders who are making life better for women in Wisconsin and around the world.
The first Prize was awarded in Fall of 2019 to UW-Madison alumna and Native American rights activist Ada Deer for her lifelong commitment to social justice.
In 2022, the prize was jointly awarded to Jensine Larsen and Bendettah Muthina Thomas for their global work around gender justice. Jensine Larsen is the founder of The World Pulse, a global digital network connecting millions of women from more than 200 countries, bringing them a greater global voice. Bendettah Muthina Thomas is leading a very active movement that comprises more than 2000 women from 20 villages working together for sustainable wellbeing. Bendettah has collaborated very closely with UW-Madison since 2009; she has been the local leader behind the United Nations awarded UW program “Health by Motorbike” and is currently leading the 4W “Health by All Means” programs on global health and sustainable wellbeing.