Goldman Environmental Prize winner aims to heal her environment : NPR

Key Points:

• Theonila Roka Matbob, an environmental activist from Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, won the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize for her work addressing the environmental and social damage caused by the Panguna copper and gold mine.
• The mine, operated by Rio Tinto's subsidiary, was a major source of conflict that led to a decade-long civil war, environmental devastation, and social upheaval in the region, deeply affecting Roka Matbob's family and community.
• Roka Matbob led protests from high school and became the lead complainant in a landmark human rights case against Rio Tinto, resulting in the company agreeing to fund an independent assessment and collaborate on remediation efforts.
• Motivated by her Indigenous heritage, the desire to protect her land for future generations, and her role as a mother, Roka Matbob continues to advocate for lasting solutions despite the irreversible environmental damage.
• As one of few women in Bougainville’s House of Representatives, she navigates patriarchal cultural dynamics while emphasizing women's traditional role as land guardians, aiming to transition her community from survival to thriving.