In early March 2021, the Bulgarian Fund for Women launchedthe Climate and Gender JusticeProgram, which provides an opportunity for active people and community leaders to participate in initiatives protecting the planet, tackling climate change and addressing social inequalities. The initiative stimulates civic participation in protecting the Earth, raises awareness of the intersections between equality and climate justice, and involves local communities and activists toundertakethe problem.
The BFW program consists of two phases – theoretical and practical, and in the first stage the participants went through a three-day training led by national and international experts. 34 applications were submitted from 14 different cities in the country for participation in the first phase, from which20 participants from all over the country were selected. The second phase started afterthetraining and with the announcement of an open call for the participants, thus giving them the opportunity to practically develop a project and receive funding from BFW, through which to activate their communities and jointly implement an initiative that addresses climate change and social inequalities.
Within the open call, 17 project proposals were received, of which the team of the Bulgarian Fund for Women ranked 11 projects for funding. The evaluation committee included GerganaKutseva(Deputy Director of BFW), RadaElenkova(Program Director of BFW) and Teodora Petrova (Communications and Development Director of BFW).
The applications were evaluated according toa number ofcriteria,includingsignificance of the problem that the project addresses, adequacy of the proposed activities to the indicated problem, realistic achievement of the activities, intersectional approach/intersection of social inequalities and climateissues,addressing the needs of vulnerable groups, sustainability of activities, development of local communities and reaching out to the general public and/or the local community. The initiatives will be implemented in the period August – December 2021.
The following projects will receive funding from the Climate and Gender Justice Program:
ProjectClimate Justice Map, scope:Botevgrad, value: BGN 1,500, implemented by RadostinaVuteva– 82 points
The idea of the project focuses on the joint work of a team of people with different professions and experience from the town ofBotevgrad(ecologists, architects, IT specialists, foresters, NGO representatives, minority groups, local business, artists, local activists). They will participate in a hackathon-type event to create an image of the city ofBotevgrad, whichconsidersand reflectsonglobal climate change as a political and ethical issue. Participants will propose concrete local solutions to prevent the effects of climate change,taking into accountcurrent trends in the fight for climate justice and equality. The product of the joint work will be the creation of various prototypes of an animated map of the city. A report will be prepared describing the work process and the results achieved.
ProjectOld Clothes, New Life, scope:Asenovgrad, value: BGN 1,500, implemented by VladimirGeshev- 82 points
The projectOld Clothes, New Lifedraws attention to the problems that fast fashion and overproduction of clothes create both ecologically and socially. The initiative is aimed at young people fromAsenovgradand provides for the implementation of three main activities – an informationalonline campaign;conducting two training courses in which participants will be informed about the negative impact of the fashion industry on the climate and will be trained in habits for long-last wear, recycling and sewing skills. The final activity will be a fashion show that willshowcase clothes, which have been redesigned, sewn and combined by the participants in the course, using mainly their own worn-out and second-hand clothes.
ProjectTogether We Can! Association for Social and Environmental Justice, scope: Sofia, value: BGN 1,500, implemented byStoyoTetevenski- 81 points
The project addresses the need for an interdisciplinary approach based on climate justice in the preparation and implementation of national policies for green transition and focuses on the left movement in Sofia, which works in and for local and vulnerable communities. The aim of the project is to develop, propose and defend inclusive policies that reflect the needs of such groups in the National Recovery and Sustainability Plantill2027 through various mechanisms for civic participation such as the preparation of public positions to bedisseminatedto political representatives and state and local institutions; the preparation of articles explaining the issues and ways of engagement; communication with government officials.
ProjectEqualBefore the Climate, scope: Sofia,Yagodina,Smolyan, value BGN 1,500, implemented by Vihren Mitev– 80 points
TheEqualBefore the Climateproject focuses on the need to promote actions to help empower women and older people,who aremore affected by the climate changes,through initiatives to prevent climate change. The project aims to expand the existing network of volunteers by uniting new groups through its activities. It promotes volunteering and active citizenship in the country as a driving force for positive social change, protection of human rights and the fight against climate change. All this will happen through the organization of four events – in the village ofYagodina,Smolyanand Sofia.
ProjectSummer Camps for Climate and Gender Justice through Camping in the Rhodope Mountains, scopeRudozem,Chepintsi, Madan andSmolyan, worth BGN 1,500, implemented by ValentinKehayov– 79 points
Thisadventurous research project is aimed at creating knowledge and sensitivity to social inequalities and climate justice among young people from theSmolyanregion. The main methods used are experiential learning, movement learning, creativity as a way of self-expression and role-playing games. The idea is related to the construction of an eco-camp for training young people on environmental protection, gender equality, connection with nature and active civic participation. All this will be done in a fun and informal way. The young participants will live in tents, and the training will take place in an area near the village ofMogilitsa, districtSmolyan. Organizing a youth camp in nature will increase young people’s interest in social inequalities and climate justice. The training will be attended by young people from the informal youth community from the town ofSmolyan, as well as young people from the whole area, including from vulnerable groups.
ProjectPromotion of Environmentally Friendly Habits in Children and Development of Responsible Attitude Towards the Environment in the Local Community, scope: village ofNikyup, district VelikoTarnovo,valueBGN 1,500,implementedby HelenaHudjek– 75 points
The motto of the project isThink Globally, Act Locally!andittouches on the topic of climate change and its impact on local communities, with a focus on children. The project consists of training for children dedicated to climate change and waste management,outdoor school for children and parents with an emphasis on the biodiversity of the protected Rositsa River area, as well as a proposed model to the local municipality to improve the quality of waste collection and disposal and to improve waste management and support poor families. Theleading expert of the projecthas international academic experience and together with the local community will carry out observation and study of demersal invertebrates, amphibians, fish and birds, demonstration of fishing techniques, kayaking along the Rositsa River and contact with local institutions.Shewill also set an example to young people and the community of local activism and the role of women in science.
ProjectClimate Change and Women’s Health, scope: National, value: BGN 1,500, implemented by ZornitsaSpasova– 73 points
The World Health Organization identifies climate change as the greatest threat to human health in the 21st century. Several demographic groups are particularly affected – the elderly, low-income people, the chronically ill, children and women, especially pregnant women and those in menopause.Women are morevulnerable due to theirphysiology, the lower average income, the dependent position in society, the specific activities in the performance of family duties. This project envisages the issuance and publication of a leaflet onClimate Change and Women’s Healthbased on an overview of current literature sources – scientific publications and WHO materials related to climate change and gender inequality.
ProjectActive Children and Parents Against Climate Change, scope: Ruse, value: BGN 1,500, implemented by Ivan Belchev– 73 points
The project aims to illustrate how children and their parents can work together to change the environment for the better, and transfer that totheir communities, and thus to counter global climate change. In the form of three thematic eventsTheGarbageWeCreate,CreatingaPlayground forBalanceandMusicandToKeepBees, which will include games and eco-actions,the participants will be engagedin the topicsof climate change, conservation of nature and social inequalities. The project also includes the construction of the first public compost in Ruse and an awareness campaign for separate waste disposal.
ProjectMapping of Sustainable Vacations in Bulgaria: Combine Volunteering andVacation!,scopePomorie, Burgas, Stara Zagora,Durankulak, Sofia, value: BGN 1,500, implemented by TatianaGarkavaya– 69 points
In many countries, volunteering is a prestigious and respectable activity. Unfortunately, in Bulgaria volunteering is underestimated. According to Eurostat, Bulgaria has the lowest level of formal and informal volunteering in Europe. The project focuses on the participation of different social groups and generations in solving environmental problems through volunteering. An online book and a series of blog posts with a practical application for visiting and promoting “sustainable vacations” in Bulgaria will be created. It will showcase voluntary activities for environmental protection with a focus on the care of bird habitats. The product will include elements based on ethnography, cultural anthropology and eco-semiotics and will bemadeavailable to thegeneral public.
ProjectPlanning Together in Green, scope: Pleven, value: BGN 1426.90, implemented by Veronika Georgieva– 68 points
The projectPlanning Together in Greenprovides for a survey among local communities and training of students in Pleven. The research will focus on assessing the needs and attitudes of local communities for involvement in voluntary activities and initiatives related to climate justice and equality. It will also be presented to the municipality of Pleven. The project also envisages environmental education of young people aged 14-18 through the method of “learning by doing” in several high schools in Pleven. As part of the training, students will learn about the nature of climate justice, waste reduction, participate in an environmental quiz with prizes, recycle and plant trees in their schoolyards, and break the stereotype “young people can’t do anything”.
ProjectPolicies FOR the Climate,scope:Haskovovalue: BGN 1,500, implemented by MilenaTrendafilova– 67 points
The project aims to increase the capacity of representatives of municipalities and NGOs fromHaskovodistrict in implementing effective local policies related to the ability to reduce emissions, adapt to climate change and address the needs of vulnerable and marginalized local communities. Among the main activities is a two-day training for professionals and the community, which will illustrate the social aspects of climate change.
The media partner of the initiative istheBulgarian National Radio.
The program is implemented with the financial support ofthe Open Society Institute – Sofia Foundation.
Photo: Greenpeace
