In 2001, Menafra was recognized by the country's journalists who awarded her the Woman of the Year Prize, with the 2001 Honorable Mention, for her work on behalf of Uruguayan women. In April 2001, in Japan, she received a distinction from Soka Gakkai International, an institution that transcends borders and is dedicated to the strengthening of human values. In June of the same year she was elected representative of the women of the world among the 165 countries that make up Soka Gakkai International.
