Irene Dankelman Young Ecofeminist Award Winners 2026

Photo: Monitte receiving the Irene Dankelman Award. Credits @WECF

Sarah Adongo is a lawyer and Legal Officer at Witness Radio, a team of human rights investigative journalists, lawyers and social workers who monitor, map and investigate land eviction cases in Uganda. The selection committee described her work as a “compelling and unusually intersectional file”. 

Yemi Knight is the founder and Executive Director of AnchorBridge Environmental, a youth-led organisation combining policy advocacy with climate education across the Caribbean. The selection committee noted that Yemi’s verifiable policy wins are even more remarkable given their public stance as an openly queer Caribbean advocate, where this often takes real courage. 

Monitte is a young Tagbanwa Indigenous leader from Narra, Palawan, in the Philippines, and President of the Nagkakaisang Kabataang Katutubo ng Narra (NKKN). Through her work, she helps Indigenous young people take an active role in protecting their territories and shaping the future of their communities. 

Her leadership combines community-based conservation with advocacy for the rights and participation of Indigenous Peoples. Through NKKN, Monitte helps lead youth-driven mangrove conservation and restoration, and strengthens young people’s skills in environmental monitoring, mapping, leadership and advocacy. 

Monitte supports initiatives addressing (young) women’s and children’s rights, reproductive health and violence against women and children. She also works to strengthen women’s participation in environmental governance and helps bring the perspectives of Indigenous women into community decision-making. 

NKKN is a landscape partner in Palawan under IUCN NL’s Darwin Initiative project Indigenous leadership for biodiversity protection in Philippines’ last ecological frontier and the Nature’s Heartbeat programme. This partnership reflects the importance of working alongside local and Indigenous organisations that are leading conservation efforts in their own territories. Their knowledge, priorities and leadership are essential to lasting and locally-driven change. 

Monitte’s award is a well-deserved recognition of her commitment and the role that Indigenous women and young people play in protecting biodiversity and advancing environmental justice.  

IUCN NL also congratulates the other winners of the 2026 Irene Dankelman Young Ecofeminist Award and thanks WECF for recognising and supporting the next generation of ecofeminist leaders.