Unveiling the gendered impact of climate change in the Sahel: A groundbreaking study led by young women researchers
The Sahel region stands at the crossroads of climate change and gender inequality, where the escalating climate crisis disproportionately impacts adolescent girls. Recognizing the urgent need for a gendered analysis of these challenges, Plan International West and Central Africa Office commissioned hera to conduct a pioneering study on the gendered impact of climate change on adolescent girls’ rights in the Sahel. This research, conducted with an intersectional feminist approach, engaged 25 young women as co-researchers, ensuring that the voices and lived experiences of adolescent girls were at the heart of the study.
A two-phase approach to understanding climate and gender inequality
The study was executed in two distinct phases. The first phase, completed in November 2022, provided a multi-country analysis of the gendered effects of climate change across ten Sahelian nations: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Guinea, The Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal. It mapped out existing policies, actors, and projects addressing gender and climate change, laying the groundwork for a deeper, participatory investigation.
The second phase, conducted between April 2023 and October 2024, focused on five Sahel countries—Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. Using a Feminist Participatory Action Research (FPAR) methodology, this phase emphasized participatory research, co-designed and delivered by young women from these regions. The research methodology incorporated digital surveys, Photovoice (a visual storytelling approach), and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), ensuring an inclusive and community-driven process.
Empowering young women through participatory research
hera’s research team played a pivotal role in designing and executing this study. The team’s responsibilities included:
Selecting co-researchers and mentors, ensuring inclusivity and representation.
Developing a participatory methodology in collaboration with Plan International country offices and young co-researchers.
Establishing ethical and safeguarding mechanisms to protect participants throughout the study.
Facilitating country co-design workshops, enabling co-researchers to take an active role in shaping the research approach.
Training co-researchers on data collection tools, ethics, and methodologies.
Supporting the analysis and interpretation of collected data through interactive workshops.
Drafting and consolidating the final research study.
The importance of an intersectional lens on climate and gender justice
The study adopted an intersectional perspective, recognizing that adolescent girls in the Sahel face multiple layers of discrimination and marginalization. Deep-rooted gender norms restrict their adaptability to climate change, exacerbating inequalities in access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. By documenting these experiences, the study highlights the urgent need for policies and programs that address the unique vulnerabilities of young women and girls in climate-affected regions.
Amplifying voices for global advocacy
This groundbreaking study will be published by Plan International[LINK] and serve as a key advocacy tool across multiple platforms in Africa and globally. At the country level, the findings will be utilized by co-researchers and Plan International’s country offices to influence policies and shape programmatic interventions. Additionally, the co-researchers have developed their own dissemination plans, supported by the hera team, to ensure the study reaches diverse stakeholders and policymakers.
Lessons learned and future applications
Beyond the research findings, the project also generated valuable insights into participatory methodologies, ethical considerations, and the benefits of engaging young women as active agents of change. The study underscores the transformative power of feminist participatory research, demonstrating how inclusive research processes can drive structural and empowering change. This study stands as a testament to the importance of amplifying young women’s voices in climate and gender justice movements and serves as a call to action for policymakers and stakeholders worldwide.
Read the report: A Gathering Storm: A study on the gendered impact of climate change on the rights of adolescent girls and young women in the Sahel
Below, you will find summaries of the report in English or French .
Summary report
(English)
Rapport résumé
(Français)
For those interested in a more in-depth analysis, the full report, A Gathering Storm: A study on the gendered impact of climate change on the rights of adolescent girls and young women in the Sahel—detailing key learnings, challenges, and methodological achievements—can be found in English and French.