Climate Justice

The world’s poor have the least responsibility for the climate change, but they are the most affected. That’s why climate change is a question of injustice. We are working for fair climate policies and green alternatives for action.

Green Restructuring. Rich countries have the largest, historically responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions, but it’s the world’s poorest that experience the biggest consequences. Climate change is in this way a injustice issue. Our opinion is that Norway and other rich countries and other wealthy countries must take their historically responsibility and ensure a restructuring from fossil to green energy. This entails that we must cut down on emissions, in Norway, drastically and immediately. In order to get a global restructuring, it is important with global cooperation, and states must contribute with ambitious goals for cutting emissions. National commitments need to be improved to make sure that the increase in temperature globally doesn’t exceed 1,5 degrees. Even though the main responsibility for climate and environmental change lies with governments, decision makers and companies, we encourage also individuals to reduce their own consumption and make climate friendly decisions.

Climate Adaptation. Climate change is already a fact. Environmental changes like loss of biodiversity and soil erosion are amplified by man made climate change. I addition to implement a green restructuring, it is essential for us to adapt to the change in climate that is happening today. This entails, among other things, that Norway must contribute to finance climate mitigation measures in countries that are severely afflicted by climate change. Through our climate projects in Tanzania and Bangladesh, youth receive training in climate mitigation measures in their local communities.

Climate Knowledge. The consumption pattern of individuals is the key to create a sustainable society. Because of that, knowledge about climate change and climate policies are paramount, and it’s the reason we provide training to youth to educate them about climate change, climate adaption and effective environmental measures in their local communities. We focus on helping youth to develop livelihoods within organic farming and renewable energy, in addition to raise awareness of their right to clean water and safe sanitary conditions. Norway works with volunteers to increase their knowledge of climate change, so that they can keep up with focused campaigns towards government and decision makers in Norway. Knowledge about climate change is the key to create change for a greener future.

GENDER JUSTICE

Youth are vulnerable. Young people are meant to live in a world with full human rights and be free of discrimination. We are working for youth to change the world by democratic and peaceful means.

Young People Are Vulnerable. Young people are a vulnerable group, at great risk of being exploited by political forces to create disturbance and conflict. Many young people don’t participate in societal decision making, because they don’t know their rights. Therefore, there is a great need to strengthen youth involvement in democratic processes. Youth are also vulnerable in close relations. Violence against young people is a huge problem in many countries, and many people lack knowledge about their sexual and reproductive rights. This often leads to problems like child marriages, rape and female genital mutilation (FGM).

Influence over Your Own Life. Schooling and leader raining are important activities for young people to develop knowledge about their rights and to be active in the society, both locally and globally. When the government can’t provide the necessary social services, the youth, through our work, are involved in making sure that human rights are fulfilled by demanding education and health services.

Education And Health. We work with providing school and health services where public services fail. YMCA/YWCA has long traditions when it comes to offering youth an education, and at the same time we always work towards the public sector so that it will be responsible to provide education and health services. In this way, we can create a lasting system that provides public services for everyone in the society.

Against Discrimination. Many traditions are discriminating, and locked gender roles prevents equality. Our work causes young people to distance themselves from discrimination and violence. We work with violence and discrimination that is based on gender, religion and ethnicity by educating youth to fight for women and men’s rights to take part in political processes. We are giving youth a stronger voice, and fight for young people to be heard.

REDUCED INEQUALITY

Economic justice revolves around the work towards that no humans should have to live in poverty. YGlobal is working with individuals to ensures their livelihood, with local communities to stop corruption and with global structures in order to change policies that creates injustice.

Economic Security. When normal life revolves around providing food for your family, it is hard to think about the future. Through our work, youth and women get the opportunity to ensure their own income. Our goal is to change social structures to create lasting economic security.

Money in a Box Becomes So Much More. When twenty members of a group put some money in a bx every week, will this way of saving money after a while become an investment fund. We call it savings and investments groups. This is a simple idea that plays a huge difference in individuals’ and families’ lives. Where there’s scarce access to bank services for people that are struggling economically, the fund provides safe access to savings and loans. This give people an opportunity to start a business, cover health expenses and other unforeseen expenditure. All this ensures economic safety.

Making Local Authorities Accountable. Economic safety is about creating security for individuals and within local communities. For us to achieve this, the local authorities need to fulfill their commitments without corruption and embezzlement. Building of infrastructure, classrooms and providing health services are often the responsibility of the authorities, but sometimes money disappear without the service being delivered. Therefore, we educate youth to understand public budgets so that they know what their rights are and can make the authorities accountable. This increases the chances for roads being built, for school buildings to get the windows that money is set aside for and that the standard for the services to the public get satisfactory.

Global Structures. Escape of capital, bad debt policies and poor trading conditions are hindering development. Too many individuals and multinational companies take advantage of bad and faulty economic structures. Greedy companies embezzle tax revenues that should have been used towards god for people who need it. We are working to change the structures that maintain uneven distribution and are hindering development for nations and individuals.

JUST PEACE

Just peace is not just the absence of war, but also a just distribution of resources, freedom of religion, freedom of speech and equal rights for all. Through our work we give youth and women non-violent tools to create lasting peace.

Women’s Participation in Peace Work. In many war-torn countries it is the men sitting at the negotiation table. The same men that uses weapons to make their agenda, sit together to write an agreement that is meant to provide security to the people. The women are put in a room in the back or are not present at all. We wish to change this. A peace agreement without the participation of women is not a just agreement and can not lead to a just peace. Through international resolutions like the UN’s security resolution 1325 we are actively working to strengthen YWCA’s work in countries in conflict. We contribute to women being heard are getting heard and are allowed to participate in all processes regarding working with peace.

Non-violent Means Towards Peace. Extremism is increasing in many parts of the world. We are helping youth being brave enough to choose knowledge and democratic processes above violent solutions. By finding methods that promote societal change without violence, we give youth the tools they ned to create a safe and just future.

Reconciliation Between Different Religious and Ethnical Groups. Many places, reconciliation between groups are imperative. Both to making sure that peace will include everyone in a society, but also to ensure a long, lasting peace. Therefore, dialog between religious leaders, ethnical groups and across generation is important to make an inclusive society with equal rights for all.

Violence Against Women. Women are often the ones that are affected most in war and conflict. Both psychological and physical violence towards women increase when a country is participating actively in war and in conflict areas with a lot of turmoil and uncertainty. We challenge youth to think differently and new when it comes to equality and equivalence.