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An illustration of five young people with different identites: one has an Afro with flowers on it, one has a punk hairstyle, one is wearing a hijab, one is a transwoman and one has Vitiligo. Animation of orange and yellow birds hovering around can be seen against a deep blue and purple background.

HiFriend,

This Earth Day, we acknowledge how young feminists around the world are consistently and holistically taking care of our common natural home. As climate impacts continue to ravage communities and unprecedented heatwaves are documented in the Arctic and the Antarctic, we turn to those on the frontlines of gender and climate justice solutions for solace, hope, and strength. This edition of the newsletter celebrates young feminists’ work on climate action, ranging from policy-making to campaigns and artivism.

Standing strong at the 66th Commission on the Status of Women

An illustration of several people, mostly women, holding a drop of water in their hands. They are all differently dressed representing a diverse culture and identity

Above graphic illustrated by Andrea Paredes.

In March, the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), for the first time, had the climate crisis and its intersections with gender justice as a priority theme.

FRIDA’s community members collaborated with other networks to also be present at CSW. Along with the Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action (GAGGA), we held a session on “Structural violence: Learning from women and girl environmental defenders”, which had Joy Munthali as one of the speakers. Joy is a member of GreenGirls Platform, a FRIDA grantee partner in Malawi.

FRIDA also held a session in collaboration with the Young Feminist Europe network: “Young Feminists Across The Globe Demanding Climate Justice”, where Ann Holland (FRIDA advisor from Zambia) and Doris Tulifau (member of Brown Girl Woke, FRIDA grantee partner in Samoa) were speakers. In this space, we built on the Young Feminist Manifesto, bringing in complementary ideas on how to strengthen the ecofeminist perspective of this manifesto and use it as a tool for feminist organizing across different fora.

#WeWomenAreWater

On the left is the illustration of a hydroelectric power plant. It says "False Climate Solutions: Investment in large-scale hydropwer. On the righ is an illustration two local women farmers in the middle of a field. It says "True Climate SOlution: Indigenous territorial rights and forest management".

Above graphic illustrated by Andrea Paredes.

Every year, GAGGA - a global alliance for gender and climate action in which FRIDA is a member - holds the Women and Water campaign: a reminder that women, girls, trans, intersex, and non-binary people are leading gender-just climate solutions to protect water sources from contamination, extraction, and privatization.

The campaign called out financial institutions to divest from false solutions to the climate crisis, like mega-dams and monoculture tree plantations, which violate human rights and private land and water. Instead, the campaign demands climate finance to reinvest in community-led initiatives that address climate change while actively challenging gender inequalities.

What the Water Brings as a chance for reflection

An ocean blue background with "What the Water Brings" letters inscribed in the center. Illustrations of water plants, the earth and a person floating can also be seen.

Above graphic illustration by Colectivo Fosforo, Revoltlogos S.A. Mexico.

The “What the Water Brings” report brings together FRIDA’s learnings on funding young feminists at the intersection of climate and environmental justice. As a youth-led fund, we are always trying to collect our learnings and improve our support for feminist movements on the ground. On Earth Day, we celebrate the chance ‘What the Water Brings’ gives us to fund those who are challenging the capitalist extractivism that continue to impact our bodies and territories. These are the young feminists transforming our futures into ones where all human and non-human ecosystems thrive and we need to fund them better!

Earth Day Treats

These are a few recommendations of ecofeminist organizing and creation that we compiled for you to browse, learn, connect, and get inspired by. We hope you like them!

The second season of Radio Savia is out: a podcast that centers on women environmental defenders and their strategies towards collective healing (in Spanish).
Get hold of a copy of “How to Change Everything: A Young Human’s Guide to Protecting the Planet and Each Other”, a book by Naomi Klein that compiles stories on how young people are transforming the world around us.
“If It’s Not Feminist, It’s Not Just” is a great guide for those of us wanting to dig and understand how climate action must be rooted in feminist practices.
A video where LGBTQIA+ community members of the MST in Brazil (the landless peasant movement) link the struggle for sexual and gender liberation with ecological and land rights.

Just in case you missed seeing this, remember that FRIDA’s call for applications is still open for a few more days. Spread the news and encourage young feminist organizers to send their applications. Thank you for reading, and happy Earth Day!

In solidarity,
Team FRIDA