Divya Hegde of Udupi, coastal Karnataka, received the UN Women's Award for Leadership Commitment at the 2021 Regional Asia-Pacific Women's Empowerment Principles Awards ceremony.
She has been honored for her consistent efforts to advance gender equality through climate action efforts.
Her organisation, Baeru Environmental Services, works in waste management, creating livelihoods for rural women, and developing a circular economy in the region.
The United Nations Leadership Commitment Award honours leaders who have been instrumental in establishing strong commitments to promote gender equality in the workplace, marketplace, and/or community.
This award is a collaborative project of UN Women and the UN Global Compact with the goal of empowering women to fully engage in all aspects of economic life.