The Climate crisis continues to threaten ecosystems, economies, and livelihoods in the Caribbean region. Women, girls and marginalised groups are disproportionately affected by the climate change impacts due to underlying social and economic inequalities. There is limited awareness and understanding of the intersection between climate change and gender, and the urgent need for gender-responsive climate action. Women and girls continue to promote sustainability and resilience, however they are underrepresented in leadership and decision-making regarding climate action and sustainable development.

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A lack of awareness and understanding regarding the specific challenges faced by women and girls in the context of climate change results in a failure to integrate gender perspectives into climate policies and initiatives. Closing this knowledge gap will help to reduce and eliminate systemic inequalities and support the development of effective solutions.

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There is a critical need to educate the general population, policymakers, and stakeholders about the gender dimensions of climate change, and to promote the adoption of gender-responsive climate actions that empower women, advance gender equality, and build more resilient and sustainable communities. 

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Noting the Conference of Parties (COP) 28, it is a critical time to use the momentum of the conference as an opportunity to spread awareness on the connection of gender and climate justice from a Caribbean lens. 

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About the Campaign

The campaign was conceptualized and executed via a partnership between The Breadfruit Collective and The Climate Conscious Podcast. The Breadfruit Collective and The Climate Conscious Podcast served as co-leads for the Gender Working Group under the Caribbean Climate Justice Alliance, and have co-hosted the Caribbean Women for Climate Justice conference in 2022 and 2023.

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The campaign was launched on 27 November 2023, alongside the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28) and concluded on 29 January 2024. The Campaign was funded through a grant from the Climate Action Small Grant Facility offered by the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), supported by Open Society Foundations.

 

Truth be Told: A Caribbean Call to Action on Climate and Gender Justice (The Campaign) was conceptualized as a social media advocacy campaign targeting the English-speaking Caribbean. It focused on creating awareness and understanding of the specific challenges faced by women and girls in the context of climate change and advocating for the integration of gender perspectives into climate policies and initiatives.

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Key Objectives of the Campaign:

• Raise Public Awareness: To ensure that key stakeholders are aware of the gender-differentiated impacts of climate change and the importance of gender-responsive solutions for the Caribbean.

• Policy Advocacy: To provide recommendations for policy actions to integrate gender considerations into climate strategies and highlight gender-responsive climate solutions relevant to the Caribbean and other developing countries? that can inform the conversation at the Conference of Parties and beyond.

• Visibility: To share experiences and create visibility for women-led actions addressing climate resilience, gender balance, participation and women’s leadership in the Caribbean.