Caithness, one of only three female Presidents of an Olympic International Federation, won the "builder" category, while Iranian Para archer Zahra Nemati claimed the "next generation" award.

World Para Powerlifting was chosen for the National Paralympic Committee and International Federation (NPC/IF) award.

The winners were announced by the IPC to coincide with International Women's Day, celebrated annually on March 8.

Caithness, WCF President since 2010, was selected in the "builder" category, which recognises sustained and consistent leadership over a period of time, advocacy, overall contributions and impact promoting and supporting women in sport.

"It’s a great honour for wheelchair curling, a sport in which we have gender equality across the board," said Caithness. 

"It’s also the sport that got me where I am to be honest.

"Wheelchair curling is a big part of my history within World Curling Federation. 

"I’m absolutely thrilled and honoured to be given this recognition."

Para archer Nemati, who won women's individual recurve W1/W2 gold at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, has "been on the forefront of showing what women with an impairment can achieve as she continued collecting Paralympic and World Championship medals", the IPC said.

"The next generation award to is not only a reason to leap for joy, but it also means I have a huge responsibility to bear on my shoulders," she said. 

"I am now a woman pioneer who is branded by the IPC not only to inspire her peers and contemporary generation, but also to think, speak and act as a role model for the next generation of ladies who will make this planet a better place to live on an equal basis and more inclusivity than ever."

World Para Powerlifting scooped the prize for the NPC/IF, which recognises the leadership and impact of NPCs and IFs who promote and support women in sport.

Paralympics New Zealand and the NPC Peru were also nominated.

The development of dedicated programmes such as "She Can Lift", launched to educate and empower women participants to become technical officials and coaches within the sport, was among the reasons World Para Powerlifting was chosen.

"I hope this recognition can provide more visibility to the initiative and women involved in the sport, more opportunities for NPCs and National Sport Federations to replicate the initiative at the local level, and more opportunities for other IFs to launch a similar project," said World Para Powerlifting's head of education and development Dora Szatmari.