Changemakers, Disruptors, & Protectors of Our Earth
Image Credit: The Nature Conservancy nature.org
The article "Changemakers, Disruptors, and Protectors of Our Earth: Young Women and Girls of the Global Majority Leading Climate Justice," written by Yasmina Benslimane for NPQ Magazine, sheds light on how the effects of climate change disproportionately impact young women and girls, particularly in disadvantaged communities and the Global South.
The root causes of this disparity vary, from the expectation that girls leave school to help with family responsibilities to deep-seated systemic sexism. These young women and girls are seeing the worst side of climate change, while often being excluded from critical mitigation and adaptation strategies. Benslimane emphasizes the need for solutions such as giving women more decision-making power and promoting education and mentorship programs to ensure a more just response to the crisis.
"We're not just victims—we're the visionaries and changemakers the world desperately needs." This quote can resonate with women across the globe, not only young women and girls but women of all ages and from a myriad of backgrounds. The role of women in shaping the future, not just in the context of climate change, is still far from fully realized. The long-standing designation of women as the "weaker sex" or as "damsels in distress" continues to overshadow the potential they have to help the world become a more equitable and just place for all.
Benslimane's article points out that young women's barriers are not confined to their regions of origin. Achieving true climate justice requires global societal change, starting with local environments—workplaces, school boards, and community organizations. By enabling young women and girls to have an equitable chance to overcome the effects of climate change, societies can progress toward a more just and egalitarian world.
The intersection of gender and climate justice is critical to understand, as it reveals the urgent need for inclusive, systemic change that benefits the environment and the social structures that support and sustain communities.
