Gender Equality and Meaningful Youth Participation: Essential for Climate Justice!

What shared priorities do feminist and youth organisations have in the run‑up to the climate summit in Brazil? And what opportunities exist to strengthen collaboration between these groups? These were some of the questions discussed on 24 April during a session with Kaj Hoogeboom from de Jonge Klimaatbeweging (Young Climate Movement) and the two current UN Youth Representatives for Sustainable Development, Sarah Nasrawi and Tommy Blomvliet, held at the WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform office. 

What unites the organisations participating in the session in their fight for climate justice, is their demand that their voices must be heard at the international climate summit. 

Sarah and Tommy are currently travelling across the country in preparation for the climate summit in Brazil, which will take place in November. They are speaking with a wide range of young people in the Netherlands, including those from Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, to ensure their perspectives are represented at the United Nations. While young people’s views are diverse, each year a common thread emerges that guides their representation. They meet young people through guest lessons at schools across the Netherlands and also speak with young professionals working in sectors such as banking and finance. They then bring these youth priorities into the Dutch delegation attending the climate summit at the end of the year. 

Like Sarah and Tommy, Kaj also emphasises the importance of "bringing young people to the climate summit, and bringing the climate summit into the world young people live in.” More than 70 youth organisations have now endorsed the Young Climate Agenda, collectively representing over 1.1 million young people in the Netherlands. This gives the Young Climate Movement a strong mandate to engage with politicians on (international) climate policy. To genuinely give young people a voice, it is essential to inform them well. Because the climate summit is often an abstract and unfamiliar concept for many young people, the Young Climate Movement and the Youth Representatives Sarah and Tommy work to make this topic more accessible, including through explanatory videos on social media. 

International climate negotiations are complex, and collaboration is therefore essential. The youth representatives, the Young Climate Movement and WO=MEN members all work within different coalitions to follow various negotiation tracks — such as the new Gender Action Plan, adaptation, and climate finance. Sarah explained that youth representatives from around the world coordinate by dividing negotiation tracks among themselves. This allows them to keep each other informed of the latest developments and to jointly reflect on their advocacy strategies, including on gender equality. 

WO=MEN members are part of the International Climate Coalition in the Netherlands, as well as larger international networks such as the Women and Gender Constituency and the Climate Action Network (CAN). These networks offer valuable opportunities to stay informed about different negotiation themes and to learn from global perspectives. For example, there is much to learn from young feminists in Latin America or the MENA region who are leading climate justice movements. In many of these contexts, young women are at the forefront of feminist activism. The session concluded that organisations in the Netherlands can draw significant inspiration from these young leaders. 

Finally, the session highlighted the importance of collaboration between civil society organisations, especially in times of budget cuts. Umbrella organisations and platforms such as the Young Climate Movement and WO=MEN play a crucial role in this. By joining forces with other organisations, they can share the workload, benefit from broader expertise and strengthen their networks. This collaboration enables organisations to continue their meaningful work and remain committed to climate justice, despite increasing pressure on civil society. 

If you would like to get in touch with the youth representatives or WO=MEN, please send an email to Eva Lia Colombo: e.colombo@wo-men.nl