Climate Action Palestine Project #39769

Build an Inclusive Just Climate Community in Gaza

by Rebuilding Alliance

Summary

Gaza is facing catastrophic climate challenges. Two million people are blockaded into 141sq miles, the sea seeped into the aquifer making water undrinkable, & sewage goes untreated due to lack of electricity. Though inhabitants are well educated and motivated to implement solutions, building a just climate also requires inclusive decision-making. No go: Gaza's local councils exclude women. To make climate response inclusive, two Palestinian NGO's seek your help to ready 75 women for leadership.

$18,792
total goal

$18,281
remaining

9
donors

0
monthly donors

4
years

Challenge

The UN and World Bank state that Gaza will be unlivable by 2020 -that's not far away. Though climate challenges impact all people in every Gaza neighborhood, the local councils exclude women. That means that half the community is excluded from the process of finding solutions. Women themselves are asking for help to get ready to participate in decision-making.

Solution

Two Palestinian NGOs in Gaza - the Youth Vision Society (YVS) and the Women's Program Center - ask your help to launch a capacity-building program for 75 women from three Gaza towns. Based on recently completed focus groups, the capacity-building program will provide 50 hrs of training on democracy, role of law, civic participation, debate, conflict transformation, leadership & advocacy and will introduce the women to ways to mitigate climate change through energy independence and more.

Long-Term Impact

Just Climate is defined as 'the need for local communities to play a central role in developing just, meaningful mitigation and adaptation strategies, consistent with the Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing.' Developed in 1998, those principles lead to successful, indigenous-led land use planning strategies that build relationship and interconnectedness. Building inclusivity in Gaza will build just relationships locally - and that may bode well for just peacemaking throughout the region.