Westpac Outstanding Women Award

The Westpac Outstanding Women Award (WOW Award) rewards women in Papua New Guinea whose work significantly improves life in the country. The women who win this award are leaders in the country. 2012 WOW Award Winner, Susil Nelson-Kongoi, said: "Despite being one of the most resource rich nations on earth, Papua New Guinea still ranks as one of the world’s poorest in terms of economic capacity." Like many other countries, women do not have equality in Papua New Guinea. This award encourages higher status for women. The women who win improve the economy of Papua New Guinea. It rewards specific women who have done a lot of hard work to change the status of women. The award is for women in many different kinds of work. The winners inspire girls to know what jobs they can do.
The women who win a WOW gets money for their education. They get help from experienced workers in their profession. They get to meet other women with similar at an Australian Executive Women's Leadership meeting. They also win a cash prize.
Prize history.
The WOW Award started in 2006. It was called the Westpac Women in Business Award. The award got a new name in 2013: Westpac Outstanding Women Award. It was sponsored by Westpac PNG.
Selection.
Anyone can nominate a woman for a WOW Award. A group of business people and community members pick the winners. They interview the women who were nominated to find the women who are the best leaders and who are the most inspirational. They check that the women do honest and high-quality work. They check if the women have lots of achievements related to the award. They select award recipients.