The Equator Prize 2025, awarded by the UNDP under its Equator Initiative, recognized ten global winners for outstanding women and youth leadership in nature-based climate solutions.

From India, the Bibi Fatima Women’s Self-Help Group in Karnataka was honoured for promoting sustainable millet farming, biodiversity conservation, and women’s economic empowerment.

Key Points:

• The Equator Prize 2025 was themed “Women and Youth Leadership for Nature-Based Climate Action” and received over 700 nominations from 103 countries.
• India’s Bibi Fatima Women’s SHG from Dharwad, Karnataka, founded in 2018 by 15 women, now supports over 5,000 farmers in 30 villages.
• The group promotes millet-based mixed cropping, maintains community seed banks, and operates a solar-powered millet processing unit for value-added products.
• Ten winners from regions including Latin America, Africa, and Asia-Pacific each received USD 10,000 and invitations to UN events for international recognition.
• The initiatives focus on ecosystem restoration, climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable livelihoods led by women and youth.