During November 2021 and while Glasgow hosted COP26, more than 2500 young women from Glasgow secondary schools participated in #GirlsAtCOP26 – The Solutions are Feminist, at Glasgow Caledonian University.
Young people joined forces to discuss the global issues around environment and gender – UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 – alongside other female related issues including health and challenges that can affect women and girls’ bodies.
Almost one year on from the event, an exhibition, #WomenAtCOP26 opens on Thursday 29 September 2022 at Street Level Photoworks, Trongate 103, Glasgow. The portraits document women from across the globe who joined the girls in discussing taking collective action to address the climate emergency from a female perspective.
Over a series of sessions, which were co-designed with the pupils, girls discussed a range of themes including: the future of work and the green economy, data and design, fashion and food systems, and climate refugees.
Keynote speakers, including former Irish President Dr Mary Robinson, and a range of local and international panels of experts highlighted women’s contribution and leadership in taking climate action. The women and girls came together to consider the impact of the climate emergency on everyday living in Glasgow and across the planet.
Each topic was discussed from the point of view of how women and girls’ lives are disproportionately impacted by the climate and ecological emergencies, the challenges faced and what can be collectively done to facilitate change, empower women further and build resilience.
Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life said: “The Solutions are Feminist events, in partnership with Glasgow’s Education Services, Glasgow Caledonian University and Women of the World (WOW), was the ideal platform for Glasgow’s female voices to be heard, influence change and make an impact – pupil voice is very strong in Glasgow’s schools and COP26 provided the perfect platform for the girls’ opinions to be shared.”
Glasgow-based photographer, Kris Kesiak, who documented the events said: “Photographing strong women is something I have been drawn to since I first started taking photographs as a child. In those early years, my sister and grandmother – both formidable women – were often the subjects of my photographs; my sister being a more willing participant than my grandmother, it must be said. In my career since then, I have been lucky enough to work with a wide range of female artists, musicians, writers, and models.
“When the opportunity to photograph the all-female panellists of Girls@Cop26 events arose, I didn’t hesitate. It turned out to be the most rewarding of the projects I worked on across the climate conference in Glasgow last November. Getting the opportunity to meet, listen to, and photograph such a diverse range of women was a privilege. All of them were truly inspiring and formidable; I hope I did them justice and that this work plays a part in documenting the role women are playing here in Glasgow and beyond.”
Bailie Annette Christie, City Convenor for Culture, Sport and International Relations added: “Fundamental to these events were girls in Glasgow hearing and seeing themselves reflected back and energised to take action. Our talks and the exhibition feature women working in the council and wider city who deservedly shared a platform with global experts and demonstrated how Glasgow is a frontrunner city in the Race to Net Zero.
“Not only that, we aimed to ensure that the girls had the opportunity to have their own voices heard. This exhibition follows on from recent discussions held with the girls, reporting back on a commitment made last year by the Leader of the Council, Susan Aitken to report back on what action the City Government has taken since the events last year in response to their calls for action.
Since COP26, Glasgow and partner city, Pittsburgh, have won a prestigious award for Innovation in Youth & Education from Sister Cities International for its collaboration on the initiative. More information at https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=29541
Glasgow Caledonian University film students have also been editing each day’s discussion, to be used as learning aids, one of which will be premiered at the exhibition.
Claire Stewart, photography lecturer at City of Glasgow College is curating the exhibition.
Andrea Reid and Jean Miller, Glasgow City Council, Education Services said: “Glasgow has led the way with Learning for Sustainability (LfS), employing since 2018 a dedicated officer to support LfS learning and teaching. Our schools’ #OurDearGreenPlace work on #GirlsAtCOP26 focused on the action being taken by women and girls globally, which can too often be overlooked.”
As Mary Robinson said at the events: “A feminist solution includes as many men as possible’, these videos will be used to involve boys as well as girls in learning about sustainability across the West of Scotland, investigating balanced solutions between women and men, but done the woman’s way”.
Bailie Annette Christie concludes: “This exhibition is a timely reminder on the Road to COP27 that COP26 was a game-changer, a people’s COP with calls for action that must not be ignored – girls’ voices are at the vanguard of those calls and female voices which refuse to be ignored.”
The exhibition will also honour the United Nation’s annual International Day of the Girl, celebrated on 11 October, and Glasgow is committed to ensuring that this becomes a key milestone before every future COP and serves to help empower women and girls.
