Break Free! Climate change, youth, and SRHR: Intersections with gender equality and education, and pathways to resilience
Findings from a validated literature review with youth advocates and stakeholders in Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia
- Authors
- Pam Baatsen, Hannah Kabelka, Anne Karam
- Publication year
- August 2025
The Break Free! (BF!) programme is dedicated to strengthening the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of adolescents and young people aged 10–24, while also promoting gender equality and ensuring access to quality education
Building on insights from regional learning sessions held in 2024, the programme identified an urgent need to better understand the ways in which climate change is shaping SRHR, education, and gender equality outcomes in Southern Africa. In particular, there is a growing recognition of the importance of identifying strategies that can enhance climate resilience in these interconnected areas.
This study was therefore undertaken under the BF! programme to examine the youth-specific impacts of climate change and the strategies young people can use to strengthen resilience across SRHR, gender equality, and education. The research draws on a comprehensive literature review, youth-led validation workshops, and key informant consultations conducted in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia.
The present report shares the findings and insights emerging from this work across the three countries involved.
Our experts
Related publications
-
Interlinked effects of climate change on youth sexual reproductive health and rights, gender equality and access to education
-
Research article
Climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of weather- and climate-related hazards worldwide, with Southern Africa experiencing particularly acute and unevenly distributed impacts. Despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, countries in the region face escalating burdens, including food and water insecurity, health system strain, and climate-induced displacement. Adolescents and young people are […]
- Year of publication
- May 2026
-