Monrovia, Liberia, October 21, 2026

The Natural Resource Women’s Platform (NRWP) congratulates Cllr. Alfred Lahai Brownell, Lead Campaigner for Environmental Rights Africa (ERA) and the African Climate Platform (ACP), on receiving the 2026 Elisabeth Haub Award. This honor recognizes his lifelong dedication to defending communities, forests, and the rights of those who depend on the land.

This award holds particular significance for NRWP’s women. In 2010, during national discussions on land, forests, and climate, women were often excluded from critical decisions that affected their lives and livelihoods. When rural women asked for their own platform, Alfred listened, respected their wishes, and supported the creation of the Liberia Forest Women Platform (LFWP), providing women with a forum to share their perspectives.

In 2012, during a meeting in Kun Town, Grand Cape Mount County, the platform was renamed the Natural Resource Women’s Platform to reflect the inclusion of women whose livelihoods depend on other natural resources, including fishing, rock crushing, sand mining, and charcoal production.

Since then, NRWP has evolved into a national movement with five primary focus areas: knowledge building, capacity building, movement building, livelihoods, and climate justice. The organization documents the grievances of women who have lost land and resources, trains women to advocate for their rights, and establishes women’s organizations in all 15 counties of Liberia. NRWP has formed six community-based groups focused on women’s land and resource rights, built cassava processing mills that benefit more than 500 women and young people, provided seed capital to 112 women for small businesses and backyard gardens, and raised awareness of the 2018 Land Rights Law in seven counties. Today, NRWP’s initiatives span from the forest to the coast, with women leading ocean governance and climate justice. Alfred’s support for women’s leadership has been essential to this progress.

His support has had a substantial impact on the lives of women on the platform. Massa P. Turay of Johnson Town, Grand Cape Mount County, currently the Treasurer of the NRWP Board, shares:

I want to thank Alfred Brownell for supporting us, the women affected by Mano Palm Oil. Because of his efforts, we still have Johnson Town and many other towns. With your support for NRWP, I have been able to travel to other countries and meet women like me whose land was taken for company operations. Thanks to NRWP, I can now stand up and speak.

While the world celebrates his achievements tonight, the women of NRWP honor a champion who ensured our voices were heard. Congratulations, Alfred. You truly deserve this award, and we are proud to share in your success.