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Paper short abstract

Africa bears disproportionate climate impacts despite minimal responsibility. This paper highlights how youth and women are leading grassroots, indigenous and feminist climate justice movements, shifting narratives from adaptation to equity, sovereignty and systemic transformation.

Paper long abstract

Communities that have made less contribution towards the global crisis in Africa suffer the effects of climate change more than others. However, in the face of these difficulties, Africa provides special opportunities of change towards transformation. The youth and women are the crucial agents of this change as they, despite their often-marginalized positions, are becoming a formidable force in the quest to pursue climate justice. The paper focus on how the youth and women are contributing towards climate-just movements in Africa. It examines how the movement by grassroots activists under these groups is changing the climate action narrative. Through examining local projects, including ecological restoration and community-based activism, this paper shows how youth and women are integrating indigenous knowledge, leading the way towards reparations, and insisting on climate justice that is beyond adaptation. Using the cases of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance and feminist climate justice leadership, the paper shows how these two movements are not merely a reaction to the climate change but are proactively seeking to redefine the future of development in Africa. These leaders are challenging global injustices, driving change in the system, and finding ways to create a more equitable and sustainable world. Finally, this paper holds that through the focus on youth and women voices African-led movements are developing a new form of climate justice - one that places value on sovereignty, fairness and agency of those most affected.

Keywords: Climate Justice, Youth Leadership, Women in Climate Action, Indigenous Knowledge, Transformative Change