Ask Us – A Short Film in Conversation with Young Women from the Loddon Mallee

In this short film we talk to three young women, each living in different parts of our region. The video aims to spark discussions about climate change with the young women in your lives – in your home, workplace and in the community.

In this short film we talk to three young women, each living in different parts of our region. The video aims to spark discussions about climate change with the young women in your lives – in your home, workplace and in the community.

As one of the most pressing issues of our time, more and more young women are engaging in the issues that are going to affect them more than any other previous generation, and more than their peers. The youth’s catch cry throughout the video, “Ask Us”, is a plea echoed by many young women in the region who are eager to be heard when it comes to the effects of climate change.  Young women in our region are leaders in climate crisis planning and mitigation.

Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow

Without gender equality today, a sustainable and equal future remains beyond our reach.

The time spent on these activities, and the risks women face through gender-based violence, uniquely affect women’s capacity for economic empowerment, often resulting in less access to education and paid employment.

Call To Action: Ask Us!

Globally, women are increasingly being recognised as more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change than men. As food, water, and fuel sources become scarcer, it is more often women and girls that shoulder the burden of obtaining these resources for their families. Also, more likely to take on caring for sick or injured loved ones, women are left with an increase in unpaid work in and around the home.  Additionally, increased gender-based violence in the aftermath of natural disasters has been well documented, here in Australia, and overseas.

Unless action is taken to mitigate the impacts, climate change has the potential to significantly impact upon important local sectors such as primary production, health and human services, transport, water, and the natural environment.

Young people in the Loddon Mallee region face a diverse range of issues, challenges and ideas for engaging other young people in conversations around climate change.

It’s time we asked them how they can be involved in climate crisis planning and mitigation in the home, in the workplace and in our communities and how we can support them in their work.

Ask us about our fears and hopes for the future.

Ask us how you can be a part of the solution.

Ask us how we can be involved in decision-making.

Ask us how to achieve diversity.

Ask us how to make innovation stronger.

Ask us how to stand in solidarity.

Further Reading

YLAB Loddon Mallee Youth Climate Retreat 2020

Summary Report – This report provides a summary of the outcomes of the ADAPT Loddon Mallee’s Youth Climate Retreat held on the 18th and 19th of January 2020. The Youth Climate Retreat was aimed at bringing together young people interested in climate change aged 15–24 years old within the
Loddon Mallee (LM) region to design and develop ideas on how the region can adapt to climate change. Our analysis is based primarily on data, observations and insights obtained through the workshop that was facilitated by YLab.

International Women’s Development Agency

IWDA Climate Change Position Paper

Taking a gender sensitive approach to climate change prevention, mitigation and adaption, IWDA’s position paper on climate change. IWDA’s vision of gender equality for all requires a gender responsive approach to climate change prevention, mitigation and adaptation. This paper looks at climate change in the Pacific and Asia, the gendered impacts of climate change, and how
Australia’s policies and approaches influence these issues.

ZONTA International

ZONTA International’s Statement on Climate Change – A Gender Equality Issue

Zonta International envisions a world in which women’s rights are recognized as human rights and every woman is able to achieve her full potential. In such a world, women have access to all resources and are represented in decision-making positions on an equal basis with men. In such a world, no woman lives in fear of violence. Climate change threatens human rights, such as right to life, food, water, health, education, livelihood and safety.

Tell us what you think

Your feedback helps us to evaluate and improve our work for women and girls in the Loddon Mallee.

Complete our short viewer survey here.