-Winner Announces efforts to bring all women on board.
-The Global Platform of Women in Forestry and Conservation created.
KEW 2025 Award winner Dr Cecile Ndjebet announces creation of a globally inclusive platform for women in forest conservation ,”The Global Platform of Women in Forestry and Conservation”
Receiving accolades from SG MINEPDED, Prof. Paul TCHAWA, BHC Matt Woods, Mr Ndjebet and others
By Elias Ngalame
The British High Commissioner to Cameroon Matt Woods, has acclaimed the giant biodiversity strides of the 2025 Kew award winner, Dr Cécile Ndjebet, Cameroonian agronomist, environmental activist and social forester.
At a dual ceremony June 19, 2025 to officially welcome and applaud Dr Cecile Ndjebet as well as receive the 2024 returning Chevening Scholars, Matt Woods hailed the long standing efforts and commitment of the award winner in biodiversity conservation that is fast expanding across Africa.
“ We commend the efforts and steadfastness of Cecile Ndjebet in not only driving biodiversity conservation but also protecting the rights of women in Cameroon and across Africa,” Woods said.
The Global Platform of Women in Forestry and Conservation created.
In continuous efforts to bring more women across the globe into forest conservation and biodiversity protection Dr Cecile Ndjebet announced the creation of a global network “Global Platform of Women in Forestry and Conservation “
“In keeping with the assignment handed over to me by the late Dr.Wangari Maathai , renowned Kenyan social, environmentalists, I am dedicated to expanding the women led forest conservation drive globally, thus the creation of this new network,” Dr Ndjebet announced.
The late Dr Wangari founded the Green Belt Movement, an environmental non-governmental organization focused on planting trees, environmental conservation, and women’s rights. In 2004 she became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
The secretary general in the Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection, MINEPDED, Prof. Paul TCHAWA noted that women play lead role in environment protection in Cameroon as exemplified by the works of Dr Cecile Ndjebet.
“ We need to encourage more women to join in forest conservation drive. Dr Cecile Ndjebet has set the example and we urge other women to rally behind this drive,” he said.
The British High Commissioner to Cameroon saluted the strides of women leading in forest protection across Africa. Dr Cecile NDJEBET , agronomists and environment rights leader who is the 2025 KEW winner he says, epitomizes the leadership quality of African women. She was selected for her long career dedication in campaigning for the involvement of women in forest management and their right to forested lands and resources.
Dr Cecile Ndjebet acknowledge and thanked Kew for recognizing her works, promising to push the drive even further.
“Receiving the Kew International Medal is very important to me. It shows high recognition of what I’m doing together with my fellow rural women and the women and girls involved in my African community forest management network. I hope it will mean more engagement, motivation, and commitment to restoring African degraded ecosystems to help us become more resilient to climate change and enhance the livelihoods of our local communities.
‘The world is experiencing the most challenging time in human history, and we must succeed together in safeguarding the planet. Climate change requires urgent systemic solutions and transitions. My vision is a world where we are successful at halting temperature increase and living in harmony with nature. Here, women and Indigenous Peoples take their rightful seat at the table to take action, and youth are taken seriously. In this vision, I see equitable and sustainable cities thriving. In this world, there is social equality and social justice, cooperation and abundance; there is peace. I see healthy ecosystems and forests providing food, clean water, and supporting livelihoods and economies for communities in Cameroon, Africa and the entire world.’
In nominating Cecile for the Kew International Medal, Dr Sharon Willoughby, Head of Interpretation at RBG Kew said: ‘I first encountered Cécile’s extraordinary work when researching content for the Cameroon Orchids Festival at Kew in 2023. I felt that her work was extremely inspiring with strong alignment to Kew’s values and the changes we are seeking to make in the world – putting people at the heart of protecting nature. I am thrilled that Cécile is this year’s Kew International Medal Winner.’
Cécile grew up in a forest community in Cameroon, where her love and respect for nature began from an early age. In Cameroon, around 70 per cent of women live in rural areas where their livelihoods depend on forests and wild produce, yet in some communities, women can’t own or inherit forested land. With Cameroonian forests increasingly under threat from illegal activities, Cécile has dedicated her career to improve conservation and livelihoods through mobilising women to support themselves through agro-forestry initiatives.
Mr and Mrs Ndjebet were all smiles at the ceremony.
She co-founded the African Women’s Network for Community Management of Forests in 2009 and today, it has representation from 20 countries across Africa. In May 2022, Ndjebet received the FAO Wangari Maathai Forest Champion Award in recognition of her leading voice on the importance of gender equality in forest management.
Cecile Ndjebet is a member of the African Forest Forum, AFF Governing Council.
Her award greatly honours and showcased Cameroon and Africa in the United Kingdom, with regard to the importance that the UK gives to the protection of the environment and the fight against climate change.
First established in 1992 by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew), the prestigious Kew International Medal is given annually to outstanding experts, scientists, researchers, rights activists, for their globally recognised work, which significantly adds to the knowledge, understanding and conservation of the world’s plants and fungi, the officials said.
Receiving her award in London