Queer, Feminist, Disabled: Understanding Young People’s Activism to Support the Next Generation of Gender and Development

Elise Stephenson ()
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Elise Stephenson: Australian National University

A chapter in Gender and Development: Perspectives from Australia and the Pacific, 2026, pp 233-254 from Palgrave Macmillan

Abstract: Abstract Over recent decades, Gender and Development (GAD) frameworks have significantly shaped development discourse, interrogating gendered power structures. However, contemporary global and regional shifts demand a reimagining of development to ensure it is fit for purpose. This chapter explores the lived experiences of gender, sexuality, culture, and disability diverse young people engaged in activism to understand the context and challenges experienced by those such development programs aim to support. Drawing on 16 in-depth interviews and observations from 2019 to 2023, the chapter identifies four key thematic needs: health and safety; visibility, equity, and inclusion; program focus, skilling, and design; and attention to strategic tensions. Participants highlighted the need for safety, mental health support, structural inclusion, political literacy, and sustainable, accessible programming, for instance. They also emphasised the importance of balancing incremental and systemic change and walking the line between individual- and structural-level interventions. The chapter argues for a revitalised GAD approach that centres intersectional inclusion and authenticity and strategic decisions in program design in rapidly evolving socio-technological contexts. By amplifying the voices of minoritised youth, the chapter contributes to shaping development practices that are responsive, inclusive, and strategically impactful for the next generation.

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:gdechp:978-981-95-4842-2_11

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DOI: 10.1007/978-981-95-4842-2_11

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