Pictured above: Award winners at the Opening Ceremony of the IWA 2022 World Water Congress & Exhibition, left to right: Kala Vairavamoorthy – IWA Executive Director, Nisha Mandani – Global Water Award, Annabel Waititu – Gender Diversity Award, Céline Vaneeckhaute – Young Leadership Award, Damir Brdjanovic – Development Award for Research, Africa Sand Dam Foundation representative – Development Award for Practice.

IWA is pleased to announce that the call for nominations for the 2024 edition of its prestigious global Awards programme is open and that nominations can now be made until 10 March 2024. 

IWA is committed to recognising the special contributions and achievements of its members and of water sector professionals generally around the world. The awards mark the invaluable contributions they make to key innovations in water science and management. The IWA Awards programme features the IWA Global Water Award and provides a platform to celebrate those who shape the direction of the sector. 

Now is the time for IWA members to nominate who they think are the outstanding individuals that IWA should recognise. Through several categories, the IWA Awards draw attention to the broad range of excellence, leadership, and innovation that IWA members and network participants bring to both our Association and the sector at large. 

Nominations are sought for various awards categories, as well as for IWA’s Member Honours programme:

• IWA Global Water Award – the most prestigious among the IWA Awards, it recognises an innovative leader who has made a significant contribution to a water-wise future.
• IWA Gender Diversity and Water Award – celebrates contributions to progress on gender diversity and inclusion in the water sector. 
• IWA Young Leadership Award – is granted to an exceptional young water professional for their achievements, leadership, and future potential. 
• IWA’s Member Honours – to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of IWA’s members who make significant contributions both to IWA and to the water sector. 

Please note that nominations need to be submitted by 10 March 2024. Self-nominations are allowed only for the Member Honours category. 

The online submission system is due to open on 29 January 2024. For more details about nominations and eligibility criteria and the submission process, please check individual award pages listed on the IWA Awards page. All submissions are made on a confidential basis. 

The Awards will be presented at the upcoming IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition, to be held 11-15 August 2024 in Toronto, Canada.  

The IWA Awards 

The IWA Awards help drive stewardship, innovation, and leadership in the water sector. Do not miss the chance to nominate an outstanding colleague or water expert who you think deserves to be recognised for their work! 

In 2022, the inspiring water leaders from around the world who were recognised by the IWA Awards included Mrs Nisha Mandani, founder of Our Aim Foundation, who won the acclaimed IWA Global Water Award for her work as a significant contributor to the provision of water and sanitation across many countries and vulnerable communities. 

Other Awards announced in 2022 at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition in Copenhagen included: 

• Young Leadership Award: Céline Vaneeckhaute, Université Laval, Canada 

• Gender and Diversity Award: Annabell Waititu, Bigfive Africa Ltd., Kenya 

Read more at: https://iwa-network.org/press/winners-of-2022-iwa-awards-announced/ 

IWA also recently announced the winners of its 2023 Water and Development Awards.  

• Water and Development Award for Research: Dr Veena Srinivasan 
• Water and Development Award for Practice: Dr Doulaye Kone 

Read more at:  

https://iwa-network.org/news/water-and-development-awards-2023-announced-in-kigali/