The Jude Byrne Emerging Female Leader Award was established in 2022 to honour Jude Byrne, a tireless advocate whose legacy has profoundly shaped the global movement for the health, rights, and dignity of people who use drugs. In partnership with INPUD (International Network of People Who Use Drugs), this award offers a transformative professional development opportunity for emerging female leaders within the global drug user community.
Each year, the award recognises two remarkable women who are emerging as influential leaders in their communities. These leaders are chosen for their unwavering dedication to advocating for people who use drugs and advancing their health and rights on local, national, or international stages. By supporting these women, we are investing in the future of harm reduction, drug policy reform, and human rights advocacy.
Key dates
- Applications open: 20 March 2026
- Application deadline: 20 April 2026
- Awardees notified: Approximately 3-4 weeks after the deadline
- INPUD mentor program kick-off meeting (online): June 2026
- INHSU Conference: 6-9 October 2026, Prague, Czech Republic
- INPUD mentor program start and end dates June 2026- March 2027
Pictured: Yatie Jonet, 2022 award recipient, presenting at INHSU 2022 in Glasgow, Scotland
What’s included in the award?
The Jude Byrne Emerging Female Leader Award provides more than recognition—it’s a transformational opportunity designed to develop leaders who will shape the future of drug user health.
Here’s what awardees receive:
Mentor program with INPUD
A personalised nine-month mentorship program, co-created with INPUD to align with your individual leadership goals and professional aspirations. Mentors include veteran peer leaders, activists, and academics from the global community, offering invaluable guidance.
The program could cover topics such as:
- Academic research and writing
- Navigating the drug policy landscape
- Policy analysis and advocacy
- Community consultations and engagement strategies
- Writing for advocacy and influence
- Drug user network development
- Human rights frameworks
- Campaign development and strategic partnerships
INHSU 2026 scholarship
Full scholarship to attend the INHSU 2026 Conference in Prague, Czech Republic, 6-9 October including:
- Conference registration
- Travel to and from the event
- Accommodation and per diem/meal allowance
- Complimentary INHSU membership for one year
- The opportunity to present at the INHSU conference
Awardees will deliver a 5-10-minute presentation, showcasing their work, sharing their experiences, and amplifying the message of advocacy and empowerment.
Who should apply?
We are looking for emerging leaders who identify as female and are passionate about advancing the health and rights of people who use drugs. Successful applicants should have:
- Lived or living experience of drug use
- A strong commitment to leadership and a desire to pursue opportunities for growth and impact
- Early to mid-career experience, regardless of how long they have been involved in the sector, with an interest in taking on leadership roles. This award is not designed for people who have extensive leadership experience already
- A demonstrated track record of advocacy, community engagement, or involvement in harm reduction or drug policy reform efforts
- A willingness to participate actively in the INPUD mentorship program and INHSU conference, and a commitment to sharing knowledge, building partnerships, and advancing advocacy for people who use drugs.
Pictured: Sarah Whipple, 2024 award recipient and Angela McBride 2024 Special Recocnition, presenting at INHSU 2024 in Athens, Greece
How to apply for the award
We value your story just as much as your qualifications. The application process is designed to highlight your passion, experience, and leadership potential. To apply for the award, follow the below steps:
- Complete the online application
- Produce a 3-5 minute video where you discuss what you hope to gain from the mentorship, your connection to the community of people who use drugs, and your key advocacy issues and leadership goals. The video does not need to be professionally recorded – recording on a smartphone is sufficient. Email your video to [email protected].
- Optional: Supporting statements from colleagues or peers
- Optional: A resume outlining your experience
Selection criteria
Applications are reviewed based on merit and the responses to the following key criteria:
- Leadership potential: Demonstrated or potential ability to advocate and represent people who use drugs at local, national, or international levels
- Advocacy and partnerships: Experience in or potential for advocating to governments, communities, or other organisations to improve the health and wellbeing of people who use drugs
- Commitment to personal growth: Willingness to share and develop knowledge and skills for the betterment of the community and peers
- Mentoring and support: Demonstrated ability to nurture and guide others within the community
Pictured: Jessica Morales, 2023 award recipient presenting at INHSU 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland
Angela McBride, South Africa – 2024 Special Recognition Award
Sarah Whipple, USA – 2024 Award Recipient, speaking at INHSU 2024 in Athens, Greece
Award Terms and Conditions
- Awardees must be in their early – mid career (regardless of how long they may have been involved in the sector), and interested in pursuing leadership positions or opportunities
- Awardees must identify as female
- Awardees must have lived/living experience of drug use
- Awardees agree to attend the International Conference on Health and Hepatitis Care in Substance Users (INHSU 2022) from 5-9 October 2026 (including the Community Day Pre-Conference) in Prague, Cech Republic and give a 5-10-minute oral presentation at both the Community Day and within the general conference program. Exact presentation duration for both sessions to be confirmed prior to the conference.
- Awardees will receive free conference registration, travel to and from the conference and local travel allowance, accommodation for the duration of the conference, per diem/meal allowance, and complimentary INHSU membership for a year
- Awardees agree to actively engage in INPUD mentorship program and to provide reporting on outcomes as required
- Awardees will receive an award prize that they agree to use to fund their planned mentorship activities and to support their participation in the mentorship program (awardees will require a bank account that accepts USD for this purpose).
- Awardees grant permission for INHSU and INPUD to reproduce their application in part or in full for the purpose of marketing and promotion and to profile the awardee in organisation newsletters, social media, and other avenues
- Awardee’s employers must be aware that the nominee is proposed for the award and agree to the terms and conditions described above, including the awardee’s attendance at the INHSU conference, their participation in mentorship activities and the nominee’s place of work being publicly promoted.
Additional support and questions
- If you are unable to submit an application via the online system, please contact [email protected] for support.
- If you require support with the application (for example, if English is not your first language), please contact [email protected]
- After the applications close, they will be reviewed by a judging panel. Applications will be judged on merit, and response to the selection criteria. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application approximately four (4) weeks after the closing date
Who was Jude Byrne?
Jude Byrne was a mother of three, a beloved friend and colleague, and globally recognised advocate who fought for the health and human rights of people who use drugs with intelligence, honesty, and dignity.
She brought a unique feminist perspective to her advocacy, focusing on the social and political challenges faced by marginalised communities. Jude made invaluable contributions to the INHSU and INPUD boards and was a founding member of the Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League (AIVL). Her work in harm reduction earned her the International Rolleston Award, and she was beloved for her wit, kindness, and honesty.
JUDE BYRNE AWARD RECIPIENTS
Kaumba Akuffo, Zambia
Kaumba is a passionate human rights advocate focusing on the reintegration of formerly incarcerated women. Having experienced imprisonment herself, she co-founded Tithandizane Comfort Homes, an organisation that empowers women through entrepreneurship training and advocates for justice system reform. She is also part of the International Network of Formerly Incarcerated Women and a founder of Formerly Incarcerated Women Africa.
Vielta Parkhomenko, Ukraine
Vielta, a feminist activist, uses her personal experience with drug use to empower other women in the drug-using community. With over a decade of NGO leadership, she is committed to challenging stigma and improving access to harm reduction and HIV services.
Sarah Whipple, USA (2024)
Sarah is an outreach worker for a needle exchange and a community organiser for a sex worker rights organisation in Sacramento, USA. Her work has included organising sex worker memorials and decriminalisation rallies, developing injection alternative kits with a national pipe distributor, running one of the most followed harm reduction education accounts on social media, and volunteering at community projects such as an autonomous encampment and nearby rural needle exchange.
Alla Bessonova, Kyrgyzstan (2024)
Alla is a committed activist and narcofeminist from Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia), actively involved in gender-oriented projects focusing on women’s rights in drug policy and improving their quality of life. She is a Master’s student at the Faculty of Social Psychology of Bishkek Humanitarian University. For three years, Alla represented Kyrgyzstan in the Eurasian Women’s AIDS Network (EWNA) and is now a member of the Secretariat. She currently coordinates the Expert Feminist Council at Eurasian Network of People Who Use Drugs (ENPUD), where she will continue to support and strengthen narcofeminism.
Jessica Morales, Guatemala (2023)
Jessica is a dedicated activist and advocate based in Guatemala City who has been actively involved in various projects focused on human rights, drug policy, and the well-being of marginalised communities. She is currently working on a Global Fund project to improve the response to HIV. Speaking of receiving the award, she commented: “My ultimate goal is to establish a community-based organisation in Guatemala that will strengthen advocacy efforts related to drug policy and the rights of people who use drugs.”
Kira Watson, Scotland (2023)
Kira Watson, based in Edinburgh, Scotland, has been involved in the harm reduction area for several years as a peer educator and activist. Currently employed by a harm reduction NGO in Scotland, Kira actively engages with individuals who use drugs, providing one-on-one support. She’s also a volunteer with the Nightlife Empowerment Network (NEWNet). Kira said: ” I ultimately aspire to develop a specific service for women who use drugs, inspired by the remarkable work of projects like Metzineres in Spain and Chemical Sisters in Italy.”
Danielle Russell, USA (2022)
A dMy hopes for the mentorship program are to have support navigating the set-up and implementation of analytical drug testing services that are collectively owned by people who use drugs here in my community.” Since completing the award (and her PhD), Danielle has moved to Sydney, Australia and taken a role as a Postdoctoral resarch fellow at the Kirby Institute.
Yatie Jonet, Malaysia (2022)
Yatie has harm reduction field expertise and is currently affiliated with the Persatuan Insaf Murni Malaysia as an Engagement Officer, a role she secured after taking steps to become an independent community advocate. More importantly, Yatie is a reliable and resourceful friend, a loud and vocal community advocate, a community mobiliser and human rights defender. She is a person who uses substances and has also experienced imprisonment and detention centres.