UNESCO Prize 2026: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has called for nominations for the UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education 2026. The deadline for submission is May 12, 2026. Applicants must forward their applications to the Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO (INCCU) by May 5, 2026.
Under the scheme, every government is allowed to present up to three nominees. The prize will be awarded to two laureates in 2026, each of whom will receive 50,000 US dollars.
The purpose of the 'UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education' is to reward the outstanding efforts of the individuals, institutions, or organisations engaged in activities promoting girls' and women's education, according to the official notification. The prize will be funded by the Government of the People's Republic of China.
As per the official guidelines, the prize will be awarded annually, over five years, starting from its 2026 edition. The prize money will be divided equally between the two winners.
UNESCO encourages its member states to implement a national selection process and publicly announce their selected nominees. According to the official document, nominations must be submitted online in English or French by midnight on May 12, 2026.
The winners will be selected by the Director-General of UNESCO on the basis of the assessments and recommendations made to him/her by a jury.
UNESCO has also stated in its official notification that the prize money is granted with the expectation that the recognised project, individual, or organisation will use the amount to advance their work.
