Seventeen young women arrived in Durban to ensure that decisions made at the 17th Conference of the Parties on climate change (COP17) take gender issues into account.
Members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) believe that women are disproportionately affected by climate change.
“We are here to remind people that women are important stakeholders for the planet,” said Megan Van Buskirk, a WAGGGS volunteer.
The 17 young women, aged between 19 and 25, are representatives from 13 countries: Australia, Canada, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, USA, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Mexico, Kenya, and South Africa.
With 10 million members from 145 countries, the association is the largest voluntary movement dedicated to young women in the world, and sends representatives to the Conference of the Parties every year.
“WAGGGS supports girls and young women to develop their full potential as responsible citizens of the world,” said Van Buskirk. “We focus on leadership development and active citizenship.”
