New Delhi : As part of the first of its kind Development Leadership Engagement activity, IPE Global, the largest Development Consulting firm of South-Asia, honored UNICEF with the Development Sector Excellence Award 2015 in the Bilateral/Multilateral Donor Category. The event brought together some of the top representatives from, civil society organizations, government officials bilateral and multilateral agencies and academicians to discuss on subjects of interest to the development community.

Dr. Anisur Rehman Siddique accepted the award on behalf of UNICEF for their path-breaking work carried towards reaching the goals set out through the UN Global Polio Eradication Program in 1988, and in helping to make India polio free.

As one of the lead agencies for polio communication in India, UNICEF was mandated to coordinate Pulse Polio Eradication activities and liaise with the government.  Innovations in the programme have played a key role in ensuring protection against polio for children, particularly in the hardest to reach and remote areas, the most vulnerable mobile and migrant community and in the high-risk areas of the country. India overcame huge challenges thanks to the efforts made by UNICEF, WHO, Rotary International, Government of India, and private pediatricians. The journey to a Polio Free India is inspiring and provides a great deal of learning for many countries still struggling with Polio.

Through the awards, IPE Global aimed at conferring organizations and individuals who haVE done exemplary work for social development. The ‘Development Sector Excellence Awards 2015’ were announced across various categories such as Bilateral/Multilateral Donor Agency, NGO, International Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility. The awardees were –

·       UNICEF – Bilateral/Multilateral Donor Agency for the path breaking work carried out towards reaching the goals set out through the UN Global Polio Eradication Program in 1988, and in helping to make India polio free

·       Tamanna Foundation – NGO category for the path breaking work carried out by Tamana Foundation in mainstreaming differently abled children and making them self-reliant

·       Her Excellency Ms. Gennet Zewide Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia – International Relations category for the inspirational work carried out by her on global dialogues on women’s issues, and improving relations between Ethiopia and India;

·       Cairn India – CSR category for their path-breaking work in impacting communities through their CSR programs