Front & Female Awards Hong Kong 2023 Winners
Cover Clockwise from top left: Judy Kan, Catherine Gurtin, Shalini Mahtani, Taura Edgar, Libby Alexander, Nicole Denholder, Patricia Ho

Tatler hosted the Front & Female Awards Hong Kong 2023 on November 30 with a lunch ceremony at Island Shangri-la, revealing the seven winners of the second edition of the awards

On November 30, 2023 we announced the seven winners of the second Front & Female Awards Hong Kong, which celebrates the individuals championing the progress of women. Selected with the help of our expert voting committee, which includes some of the most influential female leaders in Hong Kong, including Daisy Ho, Claire Hsu, Norma Chu, Ronna Chao and Jennifer Yu Cheng, these seven women were chosen from a shortlist of 20 inspiring nominees, following a lengthy vetting procedure during which the names of almost 150 women had been submitted for consideration. The winners were recognised at a live lunchtime Awards ceremony, which was supported by headline sponsor Standard Chartered Private Bank. Here, the 2023 winners share why it is so important to them that they champion and inspire women and girls in Hong Kong.

Libby Alexander, co-founder and CEO, Splash Foundation

Tatler Asia
Libby Alexander

“Two out of three women globally do not know how to swim. Yet knowing how to swim doesn’t just keep people safe, it builds confidence, it broadens capabilities and improves our well-being. It is such a simple solution to a lot of problems. Why I think it is important to focus mostly on women is that research often shows that when a woman learns a life-skill, she is more likely to share it with her children, families or friends. We see this all the time in Splash. If we can help more women learn to swim, it truly has a ripple effect.”

Nicole Denholder, founder, Next Chapter Raise; co-founder, Sophia

Tatler Asia
Nicole Denholder

“Hong Kong is such a thriving place to live and when given the right support, a person can explore opportunities here that they might not have exposure to elsewhere. It’s important that girls have access to those as early as possible. That’s why it’s important to create an environment to empower women, in particular financially, to have access to those opportunities which is very meaningful to me. Financial empowerment also builds confidence and opens up networks and that’s why it’s such a focus in my daily work.”

Taura Edgar, founder, TALK Hong Kong

Tatler Asia
Taura Edgar

“Child sexual abuse is public health crisis. And it’s a gendered crime with 85 percent of known cases being girls, 93 percent of known perpetrators being boys/men. That means a disproportionate number of girls start off with a disadvantage and we need to address that from the roots up.

“Child sexual abuse effects each and every one of us in society—whether because we have been abused, know someone who is abused or pay taxes into the healthcare systems that treat the much heightened medical costs survivors incur over a lifetime. You and I need to work on that.”

Catherine Gurtin, CEO, Pathfinders

Tatler Asia
Catherine Gurtin

“In Hong Kong, Migrant Domestic Workers (MDWs) are often marginalised and undervalued, despite the significant economic and social contributions they make to our city. 

“Given limited care options for young children and the elderly, MDWs have become a critical source of support for many households. Far from being an extravagance, hiring a MDW enables many mothers and daughters with elderly parents to be able to work and earn an income. For the betterment of HK, I believe we need to inspire a greater level of respect and appreciation for our MDWs—many whom are daughters and mothers too.

“For me it's important to find platforms for women and children to raise and amplify their voice on the key issues and topics that affect them. While I don't underestimate the honour of being able to use my voice in support of others, ensuring strong representation, empowering and supporting people to amplify their own voice to advocate and influence on their own issues will always be more powerful in being able to influence social and systemic change.“

Patricia Ho, lawyer; lecturer; founder, Hong Kong Dignity Institute

Tatler Asia
Patricia Ho

“Women have secret powers—they can be soft and strong, gentle and powerful. They have next level intuition. It frustrates me that often women are forced to conform to a more binary world—to discard the soft side or the other way round. I love inspiring women and girls to know, love, and show all of their powers. By the way, part of this is also to give space to the men around me to be gentle and love that.”

Judy Kan, executive director, HER Fund

Tatler Asia
Judy Kan

“I hope everyone can be as free as they wish to be. I hope everyone can get any opportunity they can without discrimination. However, our society is still full of stigma and unconscious bias against women and girls. Intersect gender with ethnicity, religious, economic background, education level, occupation, etc. Women and girls are often those who are not able to speak up and being ignored. I believe that the well-being of women and girls benefits the whole society.”

Shalini Mahtani, founder, The Zubin Foundation

Tatler Asia
Shalini Mahtani

“As a South Asian woman it’s been hard to go against convention, to study, to work and speak out. So, I help other South Asian and Southeast Asian women of Hong Kong be who they want to be, and having someone to talk to when things get tough on the home front. We all need to find our voice.”

Credits

Photography  

Affa Chan

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