Empowering Young Women in the SWANA Region: 

Advancing Climate Justice and Political Participation

By amplifying young women’s voices and building their capacity, we seek to create a more inclusive and sustainable future.

A diverse group of people participating in a climate change protest or rally, holding signs and a large yellow banner that reads "TIME TO LEAD". Some signs include messages like "Earth is our home" and "We only have one planet, and it’s in trouble." The event takes place outdoors in a city area with palm trees and tall buildings in the background.

Context:

The lack of active engagement and representation of young women and girls from the SWANA region in climate justice initiatives and political processes is a pressing issue that demands immediate attention. HERizons addresses this critical disparity and empowers young women to play pivotal roles in shaping a sustainable future for their communities and nations.

The project addresses the urgent need to raise awareness, empower young women and girls, enhance political participation, and create sustainable advocacy networks to tackle the complex challenges of climate change and gender inequality in the MENA region. Through its comprehensive approach, the project has the potential to foster positive and lasting change, contributing to a more equitable and resilient future for the region.

About Rising HERizons:

Climate Change and Gender Inequality Intersection: The project focuses on raising awareness about the intersection of climate change and gender inequality. This is crucial because climate change affects women and men differently, with women often disproportionately impacted due to their traditional roles in communities and limited access to resources. By highlighting this intersection, the project aims to promote gender-responsive climate actions and empower women to be active agents of change.


Empowering Young Women and Girls: The project specifically targets young women and girls in the SWANA region. Empowering this demographic is vital as they are often marginalized and face multiple barriers to education, political participation, and decision-making. By building their capacity for advocacy and leadership, the project aims to create a generation of young women who can contribute to addressing climate challenges and gender inequality.

Political Engagement and Inclusivity: The project seeks to enhance political participation among young women and girls. Political participation is crucial for creating inclusive and representative policies and decision-making processes. By facilitating the involvement of young women in political dialogue, the project can promote gender-sensitive policies and initiatives.

  • This project aims to empower young women from South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region, fostering their active engagement in climate justice initiatives while encouraging their participation in political processes.

Rising HERizons is a groundbreaking project empowering young women in the SWANA region to lead the change in climate justice with gender in focus. In addition to all the training and mentorship session, we developed:

Two young women engaged in a discussion or activity with an overlay text emphasizing empowering young women and focusing on gender and climate justice.

  • This research investigates the intersection of climate change and gender inequality in the SWANA region, focusing on Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon as case studies.

    Read more here.

  • Arab States face a significant obstacle in the form of climate change, which disproportionately affects the most vulnerable and impoverished people in the region, women in particular. This short brief highlights the urgent need for better representation of these groups in the policymaking process.

    Read more here.

MEET THE PARTICIPANTS

Black and white portrait of Sênk Nawzgad Tahir with a logo and mission statement about climate justice and political empowerment for Rising HER Horizons, a platform highlighting young leaders.
A woman wearing a headscarf smiling, with a logo reading Rising HERizons and a quote about her environmental research from Jordan, named Rana Hijazi.
Black and white portrait of a woman with shoulder-length hair, smiling slightly. The background has a textured, paper-like appearance. To the right, there is a graphic logo with a leaf and field symbol, and text that reads "Rising HERizons" and "Climate justice and Political empowerment". Below, a quote attributed to Maryem Hamidi: "My name is Maryem Hamidi, I am from Morocco and I'm passionate about medicine and the right for all to get treated... I'm currently studying medicine in The faculty of medicine and pharmacy in Rabat, Morocco. I joined Rising HERizons to empower and support women in their professional and personal growth." At the bottom right, a red rectangle with white text displays "Maryem Hamidi".
Black and white photograph of Khadija Limem, a young woman with short dark hair, smiling. To the right, a logo with leaves and gender symbols, and the text 'RISING HERizons Climate justice and Political empowerment'. Below. a quote from Khadija Limem about her dedication to social and environmental justice, youth empowerment, and gender equality. Her name, Khadija Limem, is highlighted in red at the bottom.
Black and white photo of a young woman with a hijab, next to a raised fist symbol and text about climate justice and empowerment, with a quote from Chaimae El Koufi expressing her passion for climate change, women empowerment, and education.
Black and white photo of Tabita Malaab, a woman with short wavy hair, wearing earrings, alongside a graphic with the Rising HERizon logo, a quote about her advocacy and education, and her name, Tabita Malaab, at the bottom.
A black and white portrait of Wissal Harbil, a young woman wearing a headscarf, placed next to a campaign poster with the Rising HERizon logo and a quote about her passion for diplomacy and environmental studies. The text introduces Wissal Harbil from Morocco and highlights her participation in the Rising HERizon program focused on climate justice and gender equality in the SWANA region.
Black and white headshot of a young woman with long dark hair smiling. To the right, a logo reads "RISING HER Izons" with a subtitle about climate justice and political empowerment, and a paragraph introducing Yasmin Kelkouli, an Algerian student studying Politics and International Relations at UCL, who joined Rising HER Izons to raise awareness about climate change and gender equality in the SWANA region. Her name appears at the bottom in a red box.
Black and white portrait of Rajaa Faizadi, a young woman with short dark hair and a slight smile, overlaid on a textured gray background. The image features a logo with a stylized plant and gender symbol, with text about climate justice and political empowerment, and a quote from Rajaa Faizadi.
A profile photo of Aicha Belhassine with a quote about her activism for human rights, gender equality, political advocacy, and climate change. The background features the Rising HERizons logo and text emphasizing climate justice and political empowerment.
Black and white photo of Saliha Mirzaee, a young woman with dark hair and a headscarf, smiling. The image is part of a poster for Rising HERizon, featuring text about her background from Afghanistan and her passion for writing, research, and career development.
Black and white photo of Nada Elbohi, a woman with curly hair, wearing a headset, with a speech bubble on a textured background. The image features a logo for Rising HERizons and a quote with her name, highlighting her advocacy for gender and climate justice.
A digital poster with a black and white photo of a young woman, Aya Trad, and text introducing her as a Lebanese student passionate about diplomacy, international relations, and youth empowerment. The poster features the Rising HERozons logo, a quote attributed to Aya Trad, and the slogan 'Climate justice and political empowerment.'
Black and white portrait of a woman smiling, with a background featuring the Rising HERizon logo and a quote. The quote introduces Dima Alrahaife from Jordan, passionate about women's empowerment, sustainable development, and youth advocacy.
Black and white portrait of Souha Zarai, a participant in the Rising HERizons project, with speech about her work on mental health, gender equality, AI, and environmental issues, and her study of bioengineering at the National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology.
Profile photo of Samar Alhasany, along with a quote about her background and involvement in climate justice and sustainability, part of the Rising HERizons program. The logo features a stylized plant with gender symbols.
Black-and-white photo of a young woman wearing a hijab, with a background featuring the Rising HERizon logo. The image includes a testimonial quote from Huwayda El Zain about her passions for women's rights, refugee rights, climate change, and studying Information Technology in the Philippines.
A black and white portrait of a young woman with long hair, smiling, positioned on the upper left side of an informational graphic. The graphic features the Rising HERizon logo with a stylized plant and rising arrow, and includes a quote from Selma Benhmou, who is passionate about gender equality and environmental sustainability, studying political science at University Mohammed V in Morocco. The text emphasizes her engagement with climate justice and political empowerment.
A young woman with glasses and a smile, photo in black and white, with a part of her head cropped out. The background shows a graphic design with text about climate justice and political empowerment. There is a quote from Hadia Debbouci, highlighting her passion for climate change awareness, sustainable development, and community engagement, along with her name in bold red at the bottom.
Black and white photo of Maya Othman with dark hair, wearing hoop earrings, on a poster promoting Rising HERizons with her quote about gender equality, climate justice, and women's health rights.