Last week in New York, an assembly of change-makers and figureheads collectively signed an official Declaration, pledging to support the movement toward Climate Justice. Our CEO and Director Meagan Fallone was present for the Women Lead Climate event as one of the founding signatories and supporters of this pivotal global initiative.
Women Lead the Way… as Leaders
The Declaration was signed by individuals who recognize the potential and necessity of establishing more women into leadership roles. It urges that in order to achieve Climate Justice across the globe, we will need to promote universal gender balance and the participation of Women as Leaders at every level of all societies.
Meagan had this to say about her first-hand experience working with women from the Global South:
Each day, across some of the most climate challenged locations in the Global South, I see how much power and influence our Barefoot Solar Mamas have after being trained. I realise that we have largely failed to include the very grassroots agents of change who actually ARE the ones who build movements and catalyze revolutions of thought into action. We cannot be arrogant and underestimate their power to shift behaviour and ideas, when they are invested in, with knowledge and skills. Inclusion must extend to those without a formal education. Technology must be leveraged to put ALL women at the heart of the climate justice revolution the planet now urgently needs. It’s time to invest ourselves as connected women leaders, in making sure ALL women are maximizing their influence and potential, time to take risks, time to trust each other and most importantly time for us to work together, unlocking the resources that now must flow directly to communities through women.
Former UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson stresses that adequate education, human security, economic opportunity, health and well-being must be available for everyone- all departments that Barefoot College can confidently say it addresses and attempts to alleviate as a community on a daily basis.
The True Faces of Climate Justice
At Barefoot College, our Solar Engineering program focuses on training the least likely women to be recognized as leaders to become independent, legitimized and endorsed official Solar Engineers. The program- empowering rural women beyond the essential Solar curriculum, are shown that the potential for intelligence and empowerment already lies within them- Barefoot College simply helps them unlock those significant capabilities that all women are biologically born with.
For those of us with the privilege and power to already be seen and heard on behalf of our courageous efforts toward tackling Climate Change and systemic injustices, our time to focus on those of us who are under-represented or marginalized has come. All women deserve to be supported in their admirable endeavours- to be implemented as part of the solution-makers who will assist us all in building a brighter future together.
There are already boundless innovative ideas surrounding us from every corner and nationality that can help us achieve Climate Justice- it is a matter of working cohesively as “Team Earth”, and making space for all of the women who want to share their brilliant innovations.
We Have the Power… by Empowerment
Regenerative, balanced approaches are in our reach and women are the answer to how to stretch toward them.
As Mary Robinson exhorts, Climate Change is upon us, and our time to take Worldwide action is limited. Sharing ability and capacity with more women must happen now, and continue evolving into the gender-balanced vision that Women Lead Climate is advocating for.
You can show your support for the Women as Leaders Declaration by reading & signing the declaration and circulating freely amongst peers, family and anyone that wishes to show their endorsement of this Global initiative, toward the crucial goal of worldwide women empowerment.
