Rosalie S. Wolf
INPEA International Rosalie Wolf Memorial Award
New: Nominations are now closed for 2024 - Deadline 10th April
The International Rosalie Wolf Memorial Award is presented at the Global level, annually, by INPEA to "an individual who has demonstrated dedication and commitment to the ideals of Rosalie Wolf to prevent and reduce elder abuse and promote awareness through one or more of the following: research, education, policy, practice."
COMMITTEE TO SELECT - appointed by the President
Dr Lia Daichman, MD, INPEA Past President, and Professor Ariela Lowenstein
Co-Chairs Committee to Select.
Dr. Pat Brownell, (permanent) and the prior year's award recipient(s), (temporary) Silvia Perel-Levin (2023) are also members of the Committee to Select. Nominations are vetted by the Committee to Select and their recommendation is reviewed by the Executive Officers.
INPEA is proud to recognize our lasting partnership with The International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, (IAGG) and the IAGG's past generous financial support of the RS Wolf Memorial Award.
Further information may be obtained by sending e-mail to rswolf-award@inpea.net
Please visit The Rosalie Wolf Interdisciplinary Geriatric Healthcare Research Center at UMASS
One of just seven Centers nationwide selected by RAND/The Hartford Foundation initiative to be awarded funding to establish a center focused on improving the health of older adults through innovative, interdisciplinary research.
Rosalie S. Wolf Memorial Award Honorees
2024 - INPEA is pleased to announce the Rosalie S. Wolf Award Recipient: to be presented during OEWGA 14.
Ms. Frances Zainoeddin left Australia in 1970 to work at the United Nations, New York, where she began her career in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs as a research/administrative assistant, attending and monitoring the work of the Economic and Social Council and its subsidiary bodies in the economic and social sectors. Her later work involved defending the programme budget of UN departments and offices, participating in the administrative and budgetary committee (Fifth Committee) of the General Assembly. Both experiences exposed her to intergovernmental deliberations and the United Nations legislative processes which provide the mandates, resolutions and decisions for the work of the United Nations. Such knowledge and experience became extremely useful when, upon retirement, Frances joined the NGO community to further promote the ideals of the United Nations, with specific interest in gender and ageing issues. Her introduction to concerns of older persons was learning about the violence, abuse and neglect suffered by so many older women around the world.
Understanding “how the UN works” is an important tool for advocacy work at the global level – the political dimensions, the different positions of Member States and their regional groupings, the nuances in the language, awareness of precedents for referencing purposes, the linkages among the different intergovernmental bodies, and keeping up to date with all the documentation that is available for decision-making by Member States - all that can be used for advocacy purposes by civil society.
As an advocate for the human rights older persons and of women and girls, Frances represents the International Federation on Ageing and Soroptimist International at the United Nations in New York. She has also held positions as a member of the NGO Committee on Ageing-New York, including as Vice-Chair; as Representative of the Stakeholder Group on Ageing to the United Nations in New York on issues related to the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals; and currently as a member of the Steering Group of GAROP (Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People). The current main focus of Frances’ work is related to advocating for an international legally binding instrument to protect the human rights of older persons, in collaboration with many NGOs and National Human Rights Institutions around the world.
Frances is a firm believer in the legal obligation of governments to protect the human rights of everyone, everywhere, no matter their economic or social situation, and not leaving anyone behind.
4 June 2024
2023 - INPEA is pleased to announce the Rosalie S. Wolf Award Recipient: presented in conjunction with the OEWGA.
Silvia represents the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) and the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance (ILC GA) at the UN in Geneva, advocating for the adequate inclusion of older persons at the Human Rights Council and the UN, and promoting a UN Convention on the human rights of older persons. She leads the subcommittee on Human Rights of the Geneva NGO Committee on Ageing, Committee she chaired for eight years until April 2022. Silvia actively contributes to texts of resolutions and organizes, speaks and moderates multiple events at the Human Rights Council working closely with Member States, UN agencies and civil society.
Silvia edited the book “Ageing of the Oppressed: A Pandemic of Intersecting Injustice” published in September 2023. She also chairs the Programme Committee of the conference “Independent Ageing (INAGE)”.
She was born in Argentina and has also lived, studied, and worked in England, Israel, Hungary, and Switzerland. She has a B.A. in Social and Educational Theatre from Tel Aviv University and an M.Sc. in Inter-Professional Practice from the Institute of Health Sciences of City, University of London.
2022 - INPEA is pleased to announce the Rosalie S. Wolf Award Recipient: presented at 2022 WEAAD during the MIPAA2020 Rome Meeting.
Amal joined the United Nations in 2001, working in the areas of social policy, sustainable development and demography, and served on the Secretariats of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002) and the High-level Meeting on Youth (2011). She held positions in Beirut and New York. Before joining the United Nations, Amal lectured and taught on analysis of social and demographic data.
Amal was born in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and holds a Masters of Science in Population Studies from the American University of Beirut.
For INPEA and our global partners we are indebted to Amal and her team under her leadership who have been committed to fostering our partnership on advocating for older persons for protection of their rights.
Amal has an open-door policy for her office, and nothing stands in her way. She is not hesitant to be that voice for older persons with Member States working tirelessly in negotiations, preparing the SG’s report and pushing within the UN system on the intersectionality of older persons in various UN agencies such as the UN Inter Agency Group on Ageing which has grown in strength under her leadership.
With Amal’s cooperation and guidance, we have been able to open doors which were not possible for CSO’s. We are able to truly come together as advocates of older persons with UN DESA, OHCHR, the Special Procedures office of the IE on the rights of older persons, NHRIs and CSOs to push for the rights of older persons.
We would like to express our gratitude to Ms. Amal Abou Rafeh with this award and ask you all to join me in showing our appreciation.
2022 - INPEA is pleased to announce the Rosalie S. Wolf Award Recipient: to be presented 2022 WEAAD during the MIPAA2020 Rome Meeting.
2021 - INPEA is pleased to announce the Rosalie S. Wolf Award Recipient: Due to COVID-19 restrictions we have postponed the award and physical ceremony
2020 - INPEA is pleased to announce the Rosalie S. Wolf Award Recipient:
Simon Biggs
Professor Simon Biggs heads The Brotherhood of St Laurence Retirement and Ageing research team comprised of five members. Professor Biggs joined the Brotherhood’s Research and Policy
Centre in September 2010 as the Senior Manager, Retirement and Ageing, and Professor in Social Policy and Gerontology, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne. He has participated in EC and Canadian Government briefings on dignity in later life and elder protection, and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Ageing Societies, maintaining links with the University of Heidelberg, University College Dublin, National Centre for the Protection of Older People and Helsinki Department of Social Policy. Recent research includes World Health Organization’s ‘Age friendly cities’ project, ESRC study of baby boomers, uses of adaptive technology in later life, and the first national prevalence study of elder abuse and neglect in the UK. (click here for further information)
Professor Biggs has served as INPEA's Scientific Advisor for several years. He has contributed to INPEA's pursuit of a new convention on the human rights of older person by providing valuable inputs to the Open Ended Working Group for the Purpose of Strengthening the Human Rights of Older Persons.
2019 - INPEA is pleased to announce the Rosalie S. Wolf Award Recipient:
Mala Kapur Shankardass
Mala is a Sociologist, Gerontologist, Health and Development Social Scientist working at national and international level as University Professor, Consultant, Resource Person, Facilitator, Researcher, Activist, and Writer. She has served INPEA as our Regional Representative for Asia for over a decade. Mala is very active at the Local, National and Regional Level protecting and promoting the Human rights of older persons, particularly older women and widows in India and the surrounding region. For more on her personal accomplishments please click here to follow this link.
2018 - INPEA is pleased to announce the Rosalie S. Wolf Award recipients:
Ms. Natasa Todorovic, MPH, and Mr. Milutin Vracevic, MD, MPH,
Natasa and Milutin have served as INPEA National Co Representatives for Serbia and long time representatives of the Red Cross of Serbia.
Read more here about the awardee's achievements and Red Cross Serbia programs for older persons.(click)
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Presenting R S Wolf Award to Milutin and Natasa @ WEAAD2019 CRACOW with Prof. Jolanta Mackowicz (L)
2016 - INPEA is pleased to announce the Rosalie Wolf Memorial Award Recipient:
Patricial Brownell, PhD, Professor Emeritis, Fordham University, NY, NY.
Patricia Brownell, PhD, was Associate Professor Emerita of Social Service at Fordham University. Dr. Brownell represents the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW) and was Main Representative for the the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) at the United Nations, New York, since 2003. During that time she co-chaired the NGO Committee on Ageing Sub-Committee on Older Women and Elder Abuse. She also serves as President and former Vice President of the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, and recently published a co-edited book on ageism in the work place with Dr. James Kelly, President of Menlo College.
2015 - INPEA is pleased to announce the Rosalie Wolf Memorial Award recipient,
Pastor Christian Chukwu, (Engr. Ret), INPEA National Representative for Nigeria for the past decade.
Former Chairperson, National Commission for Women, India
Founder/Chairperson-Guild of Service, New Delhi, India
is serving a Chairperson of Guild of Service since 1979. Guild of Service is a National Voluntary developmental organization working with the mandate of empowering women, children, widows and elderly. Dr. Giri also serves as a Founder /President of the War Widow Association since 1971 and as Founder Trustee of the Women’s Initiative for Peace in South Asia since 2000. A social activist and leader in the women's movement, specializing in human rights and gender justice, Dr. Giri is renowned both nationally and internationally for her committed work in empowering womenof all ages politically, socially, legally and economically.
She represents and takes initiative for India’s widows, a unique constituency. She is a heroic leader and a courageous advocate for what she believes in. She is visionary and an advocate for the vulnerable in the society.
She has held many public positions such as Chair of the National Commission for Women (1994-1998) and Chair of the Delhi State Social Welfare Advisory Board (1987-1990).
As Chair of the National Commission for Women, Dr. Giri gave a new direction to the National Commission for Women and successfully implemented several schemes for empowering women.
She participated in the first workshop on the Human Rights of Older Persons in Asia, convened by Dr PKB Nayar, Centre for Gerontological Studies, Kochulloor, Thiruvananthapuram.Dr Giri continues her advocacythrough events during the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, and gave the Keynote at an Older Women’s Rights Forum of the NGO Committee on Ageing, Sub Committee on Older Women at Fordham University in 2013.
Belonging to an illustrious family of scholars, civil servants and musicians, Mohini Giri is the daughter-in-law of Late Shri V.V. Giri, former President of India. Proficient in nine languages, Dr. Giri holds the doctorate from G.B. Pant University and a post graduate degree in Ancient Indian History, University of Delhi. Her publications include Kanya: Exploitation of Little Angles (1998) and Emancipation and Empowerment of Women (1996).
Publications include Kanya- Exploitation of Little Angels, Emancipation and Empowerment, Living Death, Deprived Devis – Women’s Unequal Status in Society and Several Articles in News Papers/ Magazines on gender based issues.
AWARDS: Lifetime Achievement Award for building a society for all ages by NGO Committee on Ageing, United Nations, 2011, Padma Bhushan Award 2007, the 2nd highest civilian award in India, Rajiv Gandhi Shiromani Award, Nominated for Alternate Nobel Peace Prize among 1000 peace women Across the Globe, International Peace Award, Sat Paul Mittal Award of Appreciation for Outstanding Service to humanity etc.
Past Vice President International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
Founder: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD)
Elizabeth Podnieks holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Toronto, a Master of Environmental Science from York University, Toronto and a Doctor of Education in Sociology from the University of Toronto. She has held nursing positions in Halifax; London, England; Boston; and Toronto. She is presently a professor emeritus at Ryerson University’s School of Nursing in Toronto. She conducted the “National Survey on Abuse of the Elderly in Canada” in 1991. This landmark survey was the first to be national in scope and marks an important step for understanding the extent of the problem of elder abuse in Canada. Her research includes “Raising Awareness of Elder Abuse in Faith Communities.” She was co-investigator on “A Study of Elder Abuse Prevention and Intervention Strategies in Five Countries: Argentina, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America”, with Dr. Toshio Tataia principle investigator. She was responsible for Canada being included in the study by WHO/ INPEA on “A Global Response to Elder Abuse: Missing Voices.” She is a pioneer in elder abuse work in faith communities, and raising awareness of elder abuse among children and adolescents. Dr. Podnieks has published extensively in the area of elder abuse and neglect, and has presented at numerous conferences, workshops, scientific and educational meetings at both the national and international level. She is on the Editorial Board for the Journal on Elder Abuse and Neglect (JEAN), and has been invited to be a guest editor in publishing three Canadian volumes of JEAN. She has also served on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Gerontological Nursing. Included in the many conferences she has chaired and organized around gerontological issues was the First and Second National Conference on Elder Abuse held in Toronto in 1991 and 1999. Dr. Podnieks is founder of the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (ONPEA), and Honorary Chair of their Board of Directors. She was the Vice-Chair of the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) and founder of the Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (CNPEA). She is a Board Member of the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (USA). She was co-chair with Minister Cam Jackson on the Ontario Provincial Elder Abuse Round Table. She was co-investigator of the “National Study on Services for Abused Older Canadians.” She is Principle Investigator of “The Worldview on Elder Abuse: Environmental Scan” and a research partner of “A Way Forward: Promising Approaches to Abuse Prevention in Institutional Settings.” Dr. Podnieks founded the “World Elder Abuse Awareness Day” (WEAAD) in 2006. Dr. Podnieks was awarded the Order of Canada in recognition for her work in the field of elder abuse. INPEA International Rosalie Wolf Memorial Award (For past recipients and nomination form see www.inpea.net) The International Rosalie Wolf Memorial Award is presented, annually by INPEA to "an individual who has demonstrated dedication and commitment to the ideals of Rosalie Wolf to prevent and reduce elder abuse and promote awareness through one or more of the following: research, education, policy, practice."
Ferreira serves on the advisory boards of the International Institute of Ageing (United Nations-Malta) and the African Research on Ageing Network (AFRAN), and on the editorial board of Ageing International. She is a Fellow of the World Demographic and Ageing Forum, and was previously a member of the Advisory Board of the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA), and later INPEA’s Regional Representative for Africa. She has been a consultant to the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the African Union.
Ferreira was a member of the UN Technical Committee to draft the Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing 2002, and a member of UN expert groups to draft the global UN/IAG Research Agenda on Ageing for the 21st Century and an Africa regional research agenda. She has participated in several advisory groups to review and develop South African government policy, legislation, etc.: in particular, the Older Persons' Bill and a South African Human Rights Commission Forum for Older Persons
Her research on elder abuse in South Africa dates from the late 1980s, and she has published numerous papers in scientific journals, including the Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect (JEAN). In 2001 she was commissioned by the United Nations Programme on Ageing to undertake a review of elder abuse in a global context, the outcome of which informed the Madrid Plan. In the course of her work on elder abuse she developed a classificatory system for types of abuse manifested in sub-Saharan African countries – which she argues takes more violent forms than in other regions. She was one of the first scholars to draw global attention to the problem of allegations of witchcraft against older persons and the consequences as a form of abuse in sub-Saharan African countries. She has consistently approached elder abuse in her work and publications from a human rights perspective. Elder abuse is a core research and policy programme moreover at ILC South Africa, and currently focuses on the eradication of age discrimination (hence, systemic abuse), and the promotion of older persons’ human rights and their empowerment.
Professor Monica Ferreira
Affiliation: Professor and President, International Longevity Centre–South Africa, University of Cape Town
Address:International Longevity Centre-South Africa, University of Cape Town
2010 - Bridget Penhale, United Kingdom, is currently Reader in Gerontology at the University of Sheffield, UK. With a first degree in psychology, she is a qualified social worker since 1981, and has specialised in work with older people since 1983, working in urban, rural and city areas in addition to hospitals. After a successful career as social worker and manager spanning some 15 years, she took up an academic post at the University of Hull (UK) in 1996, moving to Sheffield in 2004. She is past Chair of the British Association of Social Worker's Community Care Sub-Committee, and former Vice-Chair of Action on Elder Abuse, and is currently chair of the Hull Domestic Violence Forum, a multi-agency network to develop responses to domestic violence (predominantly of women). Click here to download announcement.
2009 - Susana Aguas, Psych, Argentina Click for tribute to Susana on INPEA's memorial page.
2008 - Ariela Lowenstein, PhD, Professor of Gerontology and Head Center on Aging Research, Haifa University, Haifa,Israel, has been selected by her peers to receive the 2008 International Rosalie S. Wolf, Memorial Award in Elder Abuse. Ariela is recognized world wide for her personal dedication to and profound impact in the area of Elder Abuse research and practice. The award was bestowed on her at the Global Celebration of WEAAD 2008 held in Ottawa, Canada on June 16, 2008, by her long time friend and colleague, INPEA President, Lia Daichman. (Click here for Ariela Lowenstein's Bio and Pictures)
2007 - Toshio Tatara, Ph.D., announced as INPEA 2007 International Rosalie S. Wolf Memorial Award recipient. Dr. Tatara is INPEA Regional Representative for Asia (Click here for Dr. Tatara's Biographical Sketch and photos as he receives his award in Geneva)
2006 - T. Nhongo, Ph.D., (Bio), Helpage Intl., Africa, and Jenny Andrade (Bio), Bolivia, of HelpAge International, LA, jointly share the International Rosalie S. Wolf Memorial Award presented at the FVSAI Conference in San Diego, California (USA), September 16, 2006. (Download the announcement) Dr. Nhongo personally received his award at the AARP Global Aging Briefing luncheon at UN Headquarters in NY, February 2007. Click here for photos. For an article about Dr. Nhongo in HelpAge International's March 2007 Ageing in Africa newsletter Issue 29, click here, then see page 8.
2005 - Gloria M. Gutman, Ph.D., SFU, Canada, awarded International Rosalie Wolf Memorial Award at FVSAI Conference in San Diego, California (USA), September 19, 2005. (Download the announcement)
2004 - Dr. Lia S. Daichman, Argentina, received the Rosalie Wolf Memorial Award at the FVSAI Conference in San Diego, California (USA). (Download the announcement)
2003 - Dr. Gerry Bennett, UK. INPEA's first Secretary General was posthmously honored with the Rosalie Wolf Memorial Award in NYC. Click for tribute to Dr. Bennett on INPEA's Memorial page.
2002 - The World Health Organization (WHO) Violence and Injuries Prevention Department and Aging and Life Course Program share the honor of receiving the 2002 award in the international category, with Ms. Charlee Lambert being the 2002 honoree in the national category. (Click here for the announcement)
IAGG and INPEA International Student Awards
2006 - Hilary Buri, a second-year medical student in the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, was chosen as the first recipient of the Rosalie S. Wolf Memorial Award for the Best Student Paper/Poster. (Click here for further info)
2005 - IAGG and INPEA Inaugural Rosalie Wolf Memorial Award for Best Student Paper on the issue of Elder Abuse at the 18th Congress on Gerontology, Rio de Janerio, Brazil.
