Women Scholar (For Muhammad's Channel News Elias Group)

The Straits Times, March 6 2008

Women of the Year

TWO women who flew Singapore's flag high on the international stage - Dr Noeleen Heyzer, 59, and Ms Melissa Aratani Kwee, 35 - have been recognised for their contributions by Her World magazine.

Last night, at a gala dinner at Four Seasons Hotel, they were named Woman of the Year and Young Woman Achiever, respectively.

Foreign Minister George Yeo presented the crystal trophy to Dr Heyzer; Ms Kwee is in Bangalore, India, so her sister picked up the award on her behalf.

A National University of Singapore graduate, Dr Heyzer is the first Singaporean woman in the United Nations (UN) system to hold the rank of undersecretary-general.

She has championed women's issues within the UN and the Security Council for more than a decade and is credited with putting women's issues high on the UN's agenda.

Ms Kwee, a Fulbright Scholar, has initiated ground-breaking projects against commercial sexual exploitation of women and for financial education for migrant women workers.

She has also spearheaded leadership education projects for youth.