Image Source: United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) 

The Women’s International Network for Disaster Risk Reduction (WIN DRR) awarded the 2024 Leadership Awards to Robyn Camilla Mijares from the Philippines and Maria Linibi from Papua New Guinea for their exceptional contributions to disaster resilience and women's empowerment. Announced by UN Special Representative Kamal Kishore during the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Manila, the awards recognize their transformative roles in sustainable agriculture and community leadership. 

WIN DRR Leadership Awards 2024 Celebrate Trailblazers in Resilience and Empowerment

The Women’s International Network for Disaster Risk Reduction (WIN DRR) has awarded the 2024 Leadership Awards to Robyn Camilla Mijares from the Philippines and Maria Linibi from Papua New Guinea, recognizing their outstanding contributions to disaster resilience, sustainable agriculture, and the empowerment of women and youth. The announcement was made by Mr. Kamal Kishore, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, during the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) held in Manila in October.

Selected from over 250 nominations across the region, Mijares and Linibi embody the critical role of women leaders in fostering sustainable communities amid escalating climate challenges. Their initiatives demonstrate how targeted leadership can drive transformative change in disaster risk reduction.

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Highlights Women's Leadership Initiatives

The WIN DRR Leadership Awards are a key element of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction's (UNDRR) commitment to enhancing women's leadership in disaster risk management. Supported by the Government of Australia, the awards feature two categories: the Excellence Award, sponsored by SM Prime Inc., with a prize of US$10,000, and the Rising Star Award, which offers US$7,500.

Kishore emphasized the importance of women's involvement in disaster planning and response, stating, “Inclusive disaster risk reduction is more effective disaster risk reduction. Women’s participation and leadership in planning, decision-making, and implementation are essential to ensure that disaster risk reduction measures benefit everyone.”

Robyn Mijares, the Rising Star Award winner, is the Executive Director and Founder of Youth Uprising Philippines and Grow School Philippines. She has revolutionized agricultural and environmental education, reaching over 98,000 students across the Philippines. Mijares aims to empower youth to become change-makers, fostering resilience in the face of food insecurity and climate change. "What inspires me the most is the ability of young people to redefine what hunger means,” she remarked, highlighting their drive for transformative change.

Maria Linibi, the Excellence Award winner, serves as the President and Founder of PNG Women in Agriculture, the largest NGO for women in agriculture in Papua New Guinea. Through her leadership, Linibi has empowered over 20,000 women farmers by providing training in business skills, climate-resilient farming, and community leadership. "Every success of a woman farmer, I celebrate as if it were my own,” she said, emphasizing the collective progress of women in agriculture.