Climate change has far-reaching implications that extend beyond environmental concerns, affecting various aspects of human life, including SRHR, especially for the most marginalized communities. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) related to climate change are primarily addressed in Goal 13: “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.” This goal focuses on various targets, including strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards, integrating climate change measures into national policies, and promoting education, awareness, and capacity-building on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Goal 13 also emphasizes the need for international cooperation to combat climate change through mechanisms such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. Achieving this goal is crucial for ensuring the long-term sustainability of the planet and the well-being of current and future generations.

Arise for Social and Gender Justice’s Climate justice programs aim to address the unequal burden of climate change impacts on marginalized communities and SRHR. These programs often focus on advocating for and implementing policies that promote environmental sustainability, social equity, and economic development. Our programs focus on raising awareness of the effects of global warming and climate change among vulnerable communities, integrating climate change in SRHR, encouraging the adoption of renewable energy resources as well as encouraging practices for resilience building and adaptation. Additionally, our climate justice programs seek to empower vulnerable populations to participate in decision-making processes related to climate action and resilience-building. Our climate justice program integrates the following components:

1. Community Education and Awareness: Hosting workshops, seminars, and educational campaigns to inform communities and young people about climate change impacts and the importance of climate justice.
2. Advocacy and Policy Engagement: Lobbying policymakers for equitable climate policies that prioritize the needs of marginalized communities and address environmental injustices.
3. Direct Action and Campaigning: Organizing protests, marches, and rallies to demand action on climate justice issues and hold governments and corporations accountable for their contributions to climate change.
4. Capacity Building and Empowerment: Providing training, resources, and support to grassroots organizations and community leaders to strengthen their ability to advocate for climate justice and engage in decision-making processes.
5. Research and Data Collection: Conducting research to document the disproportionate impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations and gather evidence to support advocacy efforts.
6. Community Resilience and Adaptation: Implementing projects to build resilience in frontline communities and support adaptation strategies to cope with the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events and sea-level rise.
7. Promoting Renewable Energy and Sustainable Practices: Encouraging the adoption of renewable energy sources and sustainable land use practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote environmental justice.
8. Intersectional Approaches: Recognizing the interconnected nature of social, economic, and environmental injustices and integrating intersectional perspectives into all aspects of climate justice work.
9. Partnerships and Collaboration: Building alliances with other social justice movements, environmental organizations, and academic institutions to amplify the impact of climate justice initiatives and foster solidarity across diverse communities.