Sustainable Community Forest Management in Tagba, Togo

On April 21, 2026, WECAN hosted "Indigenous Women Resisting Extraction and Building a Just Transition" during the 25th UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (#UNPFII). Speakers shared updates on campaigns defending Indigenous territories from extraction, discussed the impacts of colonization, fossil fuels, mining, and climate disruption. They also showcased community projects for Just Transition and climate resilience, offering strategies grounded in rights, traditional knowledge, and sovereignty.

Our gratitude goes to the extraordinary Indigenous women leaders and advocates from Cameroon, Ecuador, Peru, and Turtle Island/USA. Their powerful voices highlighted critical issues and solutions.

For more details on WECAN’s advocacy and highlights from the UNPFII session, please visit our blog: tinyurl.com/WECAN-UNPFII2026-blog

The fight for an ancestral future continues. On April 28, Colombia hosted the first day of high-level dialogues for the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels.

Casey Camp-Horinek (Ponca Nation), Environmental Ambassador and WECAN Board Member, along with Osprey Orielle Lake, WECAN Executive Director and GARN Executive Committee member, are on the ground in Santa Marta. They are advocating for a fossil fuel phaseout and a Just Transition.

On April 25, 2026, the Women’s Earth and Climate Network (WECAN) hosted the Women's Fossil Fuel Phaseout Forum in Santa Marta, Colombia. Titled "Halting Extraction and Advancing a Just Transition," this significant event took place ahead of the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, showcasing WECAN's advocacy.

The forum featured two crucial panels. "No Extraction in the Amazon" highlighted Indigenous women leaders, including Aura Tegria and President Olivia Bisa Tirko, protecting forests and communities. A keynote by Susana Muhamad, Special Envoy to the Fossil Fuel Treaty, preceded "Women in Action for a Just Transition," which brought together activists like Yuvelis Natalia Morales Blanco and Xiye Bastida. The event underscored diverse women's leadership in global climate action.

This documentary chronicles the life and legacy of Dr. Robert Bullard, widely recognized as the "father of environmental justice."

It explores his pivotal advocacy and the decades of work culminating in the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University.

Solo sailor Ellen MacArthur's circumnavigation of the globe provided profound insights into the world's finite resources and interconnected cycles. Her journey highlighted how today's decisions directly impact future availability.

Based on this understanding, MacArthur proposes a bold new vision for economic systems. She advocates for a circular economy, moving away from linear models, where resources are continuously reused and regenerated, ensuring sustainability for generations to come.

The ITU Global Celebration of Girls in ICT Day 2026 will be co-hosted by the Americas and Europe regions.

This event is scheduled for 23 April, taking place in Brasilia, Brazil, and Tirana, Albania.

This ITU Future Innovators podcast celebrates the 15th International Girls in ICT Day, focusing on 'AI for Development: Girls Shaping the Digital Future'. Host Ellen Taylor interviews Malkia John, a Kenyan engineer and ITU160 Gender Champion.

Malkia shares her inspiring journey, founding Sauti Salama—an AI and digital platform combating gender-based violence in Kenya. The episode highlights how engineering and social advocacy merge for a safer digital future, demonstrating AI's potential for social good and the importance of local experiences.

Listen on Spotify, Apple, or Soundcloud. Explore ITU's gender equality work and Equals in Tech.

In 2012, 14-year-old Laura Dekker embarked on a 518-day solo journey to circumnavigate the globe, aiming to become the youngest person to achieve this feat. Filmmaker Jillian Schlesinger documented her remarkable voyage, which is featured in the full-length documentary "Maidentrip."

Following the route her parents took two decades earlier through French Polynesia, Dekker successfully completed her journey. She currently holds the record as the youngest person to sail around the world by herself.

Plastic pollutants are pervasive, found from the deep sea to the Arctic ice pack. Researchers estimate that by 2050, oceans will contain more plastic—by weight—than fish. These degrading plastics leach toxic chemicals, posing a serious threat to marine life and humans.

Filmmaker Chris Hanson's short film highlights this issue, following 17 Hawaiian students as they study the impact of plastic pollution on their local beaches.

Teenager Madelaine Toomey's story, 'Plastics in Our Oceans,' was conceived.

It was formed during her sailing journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the ITU, delivers a video message.

This special address commemorates Girls in ICT Day 2026.

The ITU Space Connect initiative presents "Girls & Space: Pathways to the Stars" (Session E3). This program aims to inspire young women, encouraging their engagement and participation in the burgeoning space industry.

It highlights diverse opportunities and career paths within the sector, fostering a new generation of female leaders and innovators in space exploration and technology.

On March 31, 2026, the Women’s Earth and Climate Network (WECAN) hosted the "Women’s Momentum Assembly for a Just Fossil Fuel Phaseout." This virtual global event gathered diverse women leaders, policymakers, and advocates to discuss challenges and solutions for an equitable transition away from fossil fuels, in preparation for a historic government meeting in Colombia. Learn more about the assembly here.

WECAN Executive Director Osprey Orielle Lake delivered the opening keynote, followed by a powerful panel, "Women on the Frontlines: Ending Extraction of People and Planet," featuring Indigenous leaders and climate activists from around the globe.

Additionally, explore WECAN's report on the gendered and racial impacts of the fossil fuel industry here.

On March 31, 2026, the Women’s Earth and Climate Network (WECAN) hosted the "Women’s Momentum Assembly for a Just Fossil Fuel Phaseout." This virtual event gathered diverse women leaders, policymakers, and advocates to discuss equitable transition solutions, preparing for a historic government meeting in Colombia. Details: WECAN Assembly

Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, delivered a powerful intervention. The "Government Leaders For A Fossil Fuel Phaseout" panel followed, co-hosted by the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative and Parliamentarians For a Fossil-Free Future, featuring diverse global leaders.

Further WECAN reports: "Prioritizing Care Work Can Unlock a Just Transition for All" (Care Report); "How Local Community Power is Central to a Just Renewable Energy Shift" (Renewable Energy Report).

On March 31, 2026, the Women’s Earth and Climate Network (WECAN) hosted the virtual “Women’s Momentum Assembly for a Just Fossil Fuel Phaseout.” This strategic global event brought together diverse women leaders, policymakers, and advocates to discuss challenges and solutions for an equitable transition away from fossil fuels, in preparation for a historic government meeting in Colombia.

The Assembly featured a panel titled “Building a Just Transition,” with speakers including Tasneem Essop, Mela Chiponda, and Eriel Tchekwie Deranger. Actress and activist Alysia Reiner also delivered an intervention, and Osprey Orielle Lake provided closing remarks. Learn more: wecaninternational.org/woma-2026

For over two decades, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), through its Telecommunication Development Bureau, has championed youth engagement in information and communication technologies (ICTs). Since 2001, the ITU has empowered young people globally, enabling them not only to access and use ICTs, but also to actively contribute to shaping an inclusive, sustainable, and forward-looking digital future.

Through dynamic activities, from regional forums to global summits, the ITU connects young leaders with policymakers. This collaboration allows youth to exchange ideas, influence ICT strategies, and help develop policies that truly reflect the needs and aspirations of the next generation in an increasingly digital world.

The ITU remains firmly committed to amplifying youth voices, strengthening their role as agents of change, and advancing a digital future that is accessible, inclusive, and empowering for all. Learn more: https://www.itu.int/itu-d/sites/digital-inclusion-youth/

WECAN is hosting the "Women’s Momentum Assembly for a Just Fossil Fuel Phaseout," a virtual global assembly bringing together diverse women leaders. This event precedes the First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels and is a strategic preparation for an historic government meeting in Colombia.

During the assembly, policymakers, frontline leaders, and advocates will discuss challenges and successful solutions for an equitable path to end the fossil fuel era. For interpretation in Spanish, Portuguese, French, and English, join the live Zoom webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oUL1y0NKQNaM44gvYwM7OA

This recap highlights the [Year] HBCU Climate Change Conference, an event that united participants from labs to legislative floors. We gathered to innovate, advocate, and lead the charge for environmental equity.

Discover the biggest moments, boldest ideas, and the voices shaping our tomorrow. Explore key discussions on climate justice and a green future. #2026HBCUCCC #HBCUClimate #ClimateJustice #GreenFuture