Author Allison Geringer, STF Digital Content Intern

The effects of climate change are not experienced equally. While everyone experiences the negative impacts of climate change, existing gender inequalities can add layers of additional obstacles for girls. 

Here are some ways that climate change disproportionately impacts women and girls:

• Women and girls are more likely to experience sexual violence and health problems after natural disasters. 

• In society, women are stereotyped as gatherers and caregivers. As a result, they dominate the cleaning, subsistence farming, and caregiving industries. These jobs make women and girls more vulnerable to the effects of climate change as they rely heavily upon natural resources and often stay behind after an evacuation to care for their young or elderly family members who could not relocate.

• Despite accounting for more than half of the human population, women only own 1% of global wealth. Climate change disproportionately impacts low-income groups who cannot afford to adjust to the effects of industrialization like air pollution and water contamination. 

Girls should be free from gender stereotypes and discrimination, whether at home, at school, or in their communities. Providing quality education to girls can be a powerful climate solution because it addresses the underlying inequalities that make girls more vulnerable to climate change.

Any decision that affects girls should include them in a position of authority. For Earth Day 2022, STF encourages you to tackle climate change and gender discrimination together by supporting the following feminist initiatives.  

Check out these female-run organizations that are fighting climate change:  

• Girls for Climate Action is a youth-led organization that increases public awareness and understanding of local environmental issues through climate leadership training, research, dialogues, and educational programs.

• The Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) promotes and protects human rights, gender equality, and the integrity of the environment.

• Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) engages women worldwide in policy advocacy, on-the-ground projects, training, and movement building for global climate justice.

• Women’s Voices for the Earth aims to amplify women’s voices to eliminate the toxic chemicals that harm our health and communities.

Allison Geringer is a senior at James Madison University. She is majoring in communications and minoring in public policy and administration. Originally from Rockville, Maryland, she attends JMU on a partial academic scholarship. She will graduate in May 2022. Allison is currently working as a digital content intern for She’s the First, merging her passions for writing and social justice advocacy to empower girls everywhere.