2026 Karen Takacs Award

KAREN TAKACS AWARD 2026
Karen Takacs Award

The Karen Takacs Award is presented by Cooperation Canada to an individual who has notably and consistently advocated for the rights of women, girls, and gender-diverse people. The award honours outstanding collaborative leadership and a sustained commitment to gender equality. It recognizes individuals who have advanced meaningful change through intersectional feminist leadership, collaboration, and collective action. The recipient will be recognized at the Cooperation Canada Awards ceremony during International Development Week.
About Karen Takacs

Karen Takacs was a respected and cherished leader in Canada’s international cooperation community. For more than 20 years, Karen worked tirelessly to improve lives and advance the rights of women and girls at the local, national, and international levels. She was a catalyst for collaboration across the Canadian international cooperation sector and was widely admired for her ability to bring people together around a common purpose. Through encouragement, generosity, and humour, Karen led by mobilizing and supporting others. Following Karen’s passing in 2015, Cooperation Canada established this award to honour her invaluable contribution to the advancement of social and economic justice and to celebrate the collaborative leadership she demonstrated throughout her career, including during her tenure as Chair of the Cooperation Canada Board of Directors. For Canada’s international cooperation community, the Karen Takacs Award symbolizes feminism, collaboration, advocacy, mentorship, and resilience.
Deadline for submission is Friday, November 27, 2026
Please note that individuals must be peer nominated by at least two peers.
1. First Nominator's Name

First Name Last Name
2. First Nominator's Email
example@example.com
3. First Nominator's Telephone
Format: (000) 000-0000.
4. First Nominator's Organization/Institution
5. Second Nominator's Name

First Name Last Name
6. Second Nominator's Email
example@example.com
7. Second Nominator's Telephone
Format: (000) 000-0000.
8. Second Nominator's Organization/Institution
9. Nominee's Name

First NameLast Name
10. Nominee's Email
example@example.com
11. Nominee's Telephone
Format: (000) 000-0000.
12. Nominee's Title and Organization
13. I confirm that the nominee identifies as a feminist, is a Canadian citizen or resides in Canada and demonstrates leadership that advances gender equality and challenges inequitable power structures.
14. Please indicate whether the nominee prefers to be contacted in English or French.
15. Please confirm that the nominee is aware of and willing to fulfill the expectations associated with receiving the award, including participating in the award ceremony during International Development Week, serving on the Karen Takacs Award Committee for one year, and potentially leading a workshop or learning session on a relevant leadership topic within one year of receiving the award.
16. Please provide a short bio of the nominee (250 words max)

0/250
Ways to submit your nomination

To support an accessible and inclusive nomination process, we offer multiple ways to submit a nomination. We encourage all nomination packages to address Questions 18–22. Nominators may do so using one of the following options: 1. Written submission: Complete the questions below through this form and attach any supporting or supplementary materials. 2. Audio or video submission: Submit a short audio or video recording (maximum 5 minutes) through this form that addresses the questions below, and attach any supporting or supplementary materials.
17. I am submitting the nomination by:
18. Please describe how the nominee has contributed to advancing gender equality and the rights of women, girls, and gender-diverse people. Include specific examples of how their work has advanced rights, amplified marginalized voices, strengthened collective action, or contributed to meaningful and lasting change. (300 words max)

0/300
19. Please describe how the nominee has demonstrated collaborative leadership in advancing gender justice. Highlight how they have built alliances, fostered solidarity, mobilized others, or supported collective action to achieve meaningful change. (300 words max)

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20. Please describe how the nominee has influenced systems, policies, practices, or social norms to advance gender equality and gender justice. Include specific examples of how their leadership has addressed barriers, fostered more inclusive approaches, or contributed to meaningful and lasting change for women, girls, and gender-diverse people. (300 words max)

0/300
21. Please describe how the nominee has inspired, mentored, or influenced others to advance gender equality and gender justice. Include examples of how they have supported emerging leaders, strengthened networks, or encouraged others to take action. (300 words max)

0/300
22. Do you expect the nominee to be available during the week of February 8–12, 2027 to participate in the Awards Ceremony?
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

To assist the selection committee in its evaluation, we welcome links to websites, articles, testimonials, or other documentation that demonstrate the nominee's advocacy, leadership, and contributions to advancing gender equality and gender justice. A maximum of 5 pages of supplementary information may be submitted. Please combine supplementary documents into a single file and upload it below. Audio or video files should be uploaded separately.
Please upload any supplementary information below (as a PDF)

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Audio clip, video clip or other creative upload (accepted formats: pdf, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, csv, txt, rtf, html, zip, mp3, wma, mpg, flv, avi, jpg, jpeg, png, gif)

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Audio clip, video clip or other creative upload (accepted formats: pdf, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, csv, txt, rtf, html, zip, mp3, wma, mpg, flv, avi, jpg, jpeg, png, gif)

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If you have any questions, please contact Cooperation Canada's Membership team at membership@cooperation.ca.
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KAREN TAKACS AWARD 2026

Karen Takacs Award

About Karen Takacs

Deadline for submission is Friday, November 27, 2026

Ways to submit your nomination