The Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre recently organized the Women & Youth Leaders Awards in two categories. These awards recognize individuals for their dedication and contribution to implementing water governance and building climate resilience.

Participants from different countries who showed outstanding commitment to water governance and climate resilience in recent years applied for the awards. ADPC received 51 responses, with 23 Women Leader Award applicants and 27 Youth Leader Award applicants from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and the USA. Of these, we have selected 6 winners, 3 in each category.

The winners have been invited to attend a training on ‘Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for Disaster and Climate Resilience’ in Bangkok, Thailand, from March 25-28, 2025. The training aims to enhance participants' knowledge and provide practical insights into applying and implementing NbS through case studies from diverse countries, international frameworks, concepts, fundamental principles, and more. Additionally, a training module has been developed on Water Governance for Women and Youth Leaders. This module is designed to equip young water professionals, youth group members, and women leaders with the essential framework and tools needed to bolster their leadership in water resource management by helping them recognize its significance, understand key concepts, and demonstrate and enhance their knowledge and capacity in water programs and institutions.

Winners of the Awards

Quotes from the Winners

About Women and Youth Leaders Awards The collective knowledge of women and youth is vital in effective and inclusive water governance and strengthening climate resilience in order to ensure sustainable outcomes. Women’s leadership in water dialogues and their cooperation in community-level decision-making will contribute to improvement of the river’s ecosystem and health.

Improved water accessibility for India, Nepal and Bangladesh can be well achieved by promoting women and youth leadership for better transboundary cooperation. Women and youth leadership potential can lead to transformational impacts and mitigate effects of climate-related disasters like floods and droughts.

About TROSA 2 Transboundary Rivers of South Asia (TROSA 2): Rivers, Rights and Resilience project aims to create improved cooperation in the transboundary Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna River Basins in Nepal, Bangladesh and India. This project is implemented by Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) along with lead partner Oxfam funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation (SIDA).