Melanesian women save lives in the Pacific

By Marek Grzybowski

Sea Women of Melanesia is the first all-women marine conservation organization in the Pacific region. Its members are indigenous people of Papua New Guinea. They have conducted over 330 reef surveys and helped protect thousands of hectares in 25 marine reserves. In August of this year, the women of Sea Women of Melanesia won the Equator Prize 2025!

On International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recognized Sea Women of Melanesia as one of the ten recipients of the Equator Prize 2025.

This prestigious award is presented annually to honor nature-based solutions. It recognizes projects implemented by local communities that promote sustainability and ecological resilience. Ladies from Papua New Guinea were among the winners from Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Peru and Tanzania.

A team saving coral reefs. Source: Sea Women of Melanesia

Ten initiatives were selected from over 700 nominations from 103 countries. This year’s Equator Prize 2025 winners demonstrated their commitment to the theme “Nature for Climate Action.” Particular attention was paid to climate action by young people and women. The women engaged in two key areas. The first focused on protecting and restoring key ecosystems to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Rewarding Local Action

The second area assessed commitment to supporting a just transition towards inclusive, nature-based economies that create opportunities for indigenous peoples and local communities. Recognition was given to initiatives that protect biodiversity, promote food sovereignty, and build resilient communities, while respecting traditional knowledge and the crucial role of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in sustainable development.

Naomi Longe from Papua New Guinea receives an award from the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) for protecting coral reefs in Kimbe Bay. Source: Whitley Fund for Nature.

– On this important day, the 2025 Equator Prize laureates recall the importance of honoring and recognizing the vision and leadership of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. These solutions, grounded in indigenous knowledge and shared governance, are not only effective but essential for achieving a just, inclusive, and sustainable future for all,” said Marcos Neto, UN Under-Secretary-General and Director of the UNDP Office of Policy and Programme Support.

With the 2025 laureates, the Equator Prize network now includes over 300 community organizations from 84 countries honored since its inception in 2002. Each winning initiative receives $10,000 and is recognized at an online awards ceremony later this year. The winning initiative has the opportunity to participate in global events such as the UN General Assembly and the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil.

A team saving coral reefs. Source: Sea Women of Melanesia

Sea Women Saving Reefs

The Sea Women of Melanesia organization has gained a strong presence in the region thanks to the work of young indigenous women who have decided to focus their efforts on protecting life in the surrounding seas. They have been particularly dedicated to protecting the coral reefs of Papua New Guinea. By teaching diving and developing knowledge about coral reef life and their biosystem, they are saving the environment and educating regional communities.

Our teams have conducted over 330 reef surveys and helped protect thousands of hectares in 25 marine reserves. Marine reserves around Melanesian islands are crucial for increasing the resilience of coral reefs. Programs are being implemented in the reserves to support the faster recovery of coral colonies. Their demise is manifested in coral bleaching due to climate change and human-induced environmental destruction.

In Papua New Guinea, Sea Women of Melanesia (SWoM) are proving that when indigenous women lead, the oceans thrive, write the women fighting to protect Melanesia’s aquatic environment. This young, female-led organization, operating since 2018, “empowers local leaders by combining traditional knowledge with modern marine science to protect coral reefs and coastal ecosystems.”

Women surveying dying coral reefs. Source: Sea Women of Melanesia

Located in the western Coral Triangle of the Pacific Ocean, Kimbe Bay is an area of extraordinary marine biodiversity. This area is home to 76% (605) of the world’s coral reef species, 6,000 fish species, and 800 coral reef species. The Coral Triangle also provides food and livelihoods to over 120 million people.

However, this marine region is threatened by overfishing, habitat degradation, and climate change. The Sea Women of Melanesia works directly with local communities, primarily women, to design and implement Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) to facilitate the restoration of reefs and the environment.

Coral Reef Rescue Team Source: Sea Women of Melanesia

Saving 1,500 hectares of coral reefs

The most active group consists of over 50 women from Papua New Guinea, who have been trained to monitor reefs and manage local community activities. They protect approximately 1,500 hectares of coral reef, managed as Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs).

The women conduct systematic coral reef surveys and shape marine conservation policies. Most importantly, they have mobilized over 3,000 members from local communities for these tasks. Communities living in over 15 villages have been successfully engaged in marine conservation.

Coral reef research route plan. Source: Sea Women of Melanesia

“Our award-winning training programs equip women across Melanesia with essential marine science skills. These are essential for effective conservation efforts in local communities,” the SWoM women say, emphasizing: “We don’t just protect reefs—we help communities and develop women leaders.”

To mobilize islanders to take environmental action, they use “engaging photography and educational videos, creating narratives that reflect, inspire, and promote our mission.”

SWoM’s headquarters is located in the capital, Port Moresby, with regional offices in Alotau (Milne Bay Province) and Kimbe (West New Britain Province). These regional offices are key support points for efforts to maintain marine biodiversity in the Coral Triangle. “We are at the heart of the coral reef ecosystems we are committed to protecting,” SWoM emphasizes.

Coral reef research team. Source: Sea Women of Melanesia. Source: Sea Women of Melanesia

Environmental Education and Research

“Our mission is to provide practical solutions to increase the number of marine reserves in the Coral Triangle, an area with the greatest biodiversity,” emphasizes Sea Women of Melanesia. “We provide Melanesian women with marine science training and the resources they need to play a leading role in supporting grassroots efforts to protect the marine environment in Papua New Guinea,” emphasize the women of Sea Women of Melanesia.

This work isn’t just about ideas. Malaysians live from the sea. And fishing is an important activity. That’s why the women of Sea Women of Melanesia help coastal communities create Locally Managed Marine Areas. The goal is to support sustainable fishing and protect biodiversity.

This, in turn, ensures a quality of life in partner villages appropriate for this environment.” Sea Women of Melanesia is currently competing for the Emerging Climate Champions Award. Winning the award will allow them to expand their activities through new training and coral reef protection to additional communities throughout Melanesia.

The Emerging Climate Champions Award is a global, open competition with a $25 million fund, sponsored by Enlight Foundation and The Patchwork Collective. The award provides the selected organization with multi-year funding of $1 million. The grant is intended for an organization promoting climate solutions.

Recipients are selected based on the opinions of young climate leaders from around the world. The Emerging Climate Champions Award directly incorporates youth perspectives, as well as cultural and local efforts to address environmental changes caused by climate change.

To mobilize islanders to take environmental action, they use “engaging photography and educational videos, creating narratives that reflect, inspire, and promote our mission.”