Girls Go Green

Regional meetings can be tedious, often requiring long travel hours, fighting jet lag and juggling one’s normal workload while being away from the office. However, going to a regional summit with and for young female climate activists was something else: a room vibrating of energy, of commitments, of inspiring stories, and a feeling that ‘our time is now: we demand our space and positive change – not in the future, not just for half of the population, but today and for all girls everywhere’.

Climate change is already having a direct effect on communities across Asia and the Pacific, seen for example through rising sea levels, more frequent and severe tropical cyclones, and desertification. Girls and women are particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change due to discriminatory gender norms and systemic inequalities, with, for example, girls and women making up 80% of those who have been displaced by climate-related disasters.[1]

But girls are not only to be seen as vulnerable or as victims of the climate crisis. Girls have the potential to be key drivers of change in tackling climate-related challenges, while fighting gender inequality and harmful gender stereotypes of what a girl ‘can’ or ‘cannot’ do.

However, for girls to be part of the solution, they must have the skills to thrive in a green economy, they must be given opportunities to enter and flourish in green jobs and as ecopreneurs, and they must be allowed space to be heard in decisions around climate solutions. Still though, by 2030, 18 million jobs are projected to be established in energy sustainability – but only 4 million of these will gain women.[1] Further, looking at 64 initiatives for green skills development in Asia, only just over a quarter specifically target girls.[2]

With this in mind, on 23-25 October 2024, girls and young women (aged 15-26) from 19 countries in Asia and the Pacific gathered in Bangkok, Thailand, to share their experiences and knowledge, and to develop joint recommendations for stakeholders from government, the private sector, international organizations, and for girls, families and communities, across four key areas: green skills for girls; green jobs (including in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)); ecopreneurship; and girl-led climate solutions and decision-making.

Empowering girls with skills and opportunities to succeed in a green economy – whether it is in STEM, on how to run a business, how to access mentorships or funding opportunities, or how to get a seat and be heard at decision-making tables – is not only a matter for gender-transformative change, but also a key driver of sustainable development. As we address the climate crisis, the inclusion of girls and women will allow us to unlock their potential and help build resilient families, communities and nations – or, as in the words of one of the girls at the summit: “By equipping [girls] with these skills, girls can […] empower themselves to create a more just and equitable world” (Muslima Khakimova, 20, Uzbekistan).

The Joint Recommendations on Green Skills with and for Girls and Young Women have now been released, outlining specific actions to tackle the gender-related obstacles encountered by girls and advance gender equity, thereby empowering them to be proactive agents of change. During the Summit, there were some clear messages and call to actions that stood out for me:

• Girls and young women strongly recognize the need to not leave anyone behind in climate or gender equality efforts. Girls have different paths available to them depending on their geographic and socio-economic background. Some girls might have access, and the required support from their family, to learn green skills through formal education – in some cases all the way up to university level – while others must be provided access to alternative learning opportunities, including through out-of-school programmes and internships in the private sector.
• “Nothing about us without us”: there must be a shift from developing and implementing programmes and initiatives for girls, to ensure that girls – from different backgrounds and with different characteristics – are part of and meaningfully inform programme design. The engagement of girls must recognize that girls have their own wishes of how they want to be engaged in climate action, whether it is through a green job, by starting their own green business, or by being engaged in politics or by contributing to local sustainability initiatives.
• There is a need for safe spaces for girls and young women to engage and to break gender stereotypes, whether it is regional summits like this one, or in their families, communities, schools, in the workspace, or in local, national or global decision-making forums. The participants highlighted their wish for mentors and role models from different positions in the green economy and in climate action – mentors and role models from a diverse group of women to ensure that every girl can recognize themselves in them – in a strive to create networks and safe spaces that support and empower girls and young women at every stage of their climate action journey.
• Beyond safe spaces for girls and young women, they need partners and allies across all different actors, whether it be government, private sector or international or local organizations. From funding support and opportunities for green investment funds, to network and capacity building, partners can play a crucial role in accelerating gender-transformative climate action.
• And finally, in the words of Gabrielle Kaltongga (15, Vanuatu), which was echoed by participants throughout the summit.

During the summit, I had the chance to listen to and interact with some remarkable young women –some, I am sure of, will become world leaders in their respective field in the future – and I was once again reminded that the solutions for gender equality and for climate action are already available to us. There are already inspiring, hard-working girls and young women out there driving change, in their families and their communities, but also in their nations and on a global stage. We just need to be brave enough to listen to their voices and support their efforts, for a fairer, more equal and greener world which would benefit us all.

[1] United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Climate change exacerbates violence against women and girls, OHCHR, 2022, www.ohchr.org/en/stories/2022/07/climate-change-exacerbates-violence-against-women-and-girls

[2] International Labour Organization, Skills for a greener future: a global view, ILO, 2019, www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/wcmsp5/groups/public/@ed_emp/documents/publication/wcms_732214.pdf

[3] United Nations Children’s Fund, Future Ready: Powering girls for a green economy transformation in Asia, UNICEF, 2024, www.unicef.org/eap/reports/future-ready-powering-girls-green-economy-transformation-asia