Featured Journal: Gender and Sustainability in the Global South
As Earth Day approaches, we're shining the spotlight on an innovative new journal that brings valuable perspectives from marginalized communities to the global conversation on climate change.
Background
Gender and Sustainability in the Global South (GSGS) was founded to bridge a significant gap at the intersection of gender and sustainability studies, particularly in the Global South. While many journals focus on either field, few integrate them in a meaningful, interdisciplinary way. Scholars from the Global South remain underrepresented in these discussions, limiting their influence in global academic discourse and policymaking. GSGS provides a dedicated platform to amplify their perspectives and research.
The journal emerged from the editorial team’s extensive experience working with Global South scholars and international organizations such as UNDP, UNICEF, UN Women and the World Bank. They observed that much relevant research remained confined to organizational reports rather than academic journals, reducing its visibility and long-term impact. GSGS was created to address this gap by fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, evidence-based research and inclusive knowledge production.
At its core, GSGS is more than just a journal. It embodies a commitment to building an inclusive academic community where scholars from diverse backgrounds, particularly from the Global South, can share their insights. By supporting early-career scholars and challenging dominant narratives, GSGS ensures that historically marginalized voices are heard and valued in global discussions on gender and sustainability.
Our Power, Our Planet: Click here to learn more about this year’s Earth Day campaign.
Led by editors Meng Liu and Tuula Heinonen – both experienced reviewers and researchers in gender studies, social work and sustainability – the journal is committed to building an inclusive academic community, encompassing researchers, academics, undergraduate and postgraduate students, practitioners in the fields of gender studies, international development and sustainable development studies, as well as policy-makers.
We spoke to Liu and Heinonen about the challenges and opportunities of launching a new journal at the meeting point of multiple fields of expertise. Together they highlight the importance of a broad and inclusive approach to documenting the uneven impact of the climate crisis on different communities around the world.
Interview
De Gruyter Brill: When it comes to sustainability, why does gender matter?
Meng Liu and Tuula Heinonen: Focusing on gender is not just an academic concern – it is a global imperative that affects everyone’s present and future. Gender is deeply intertwined with sustainability, shaping how individuals and communities experience and respond to environmental, economic and social challenges. Sustainable development cannot be fully realized without addressing gender inequalities, as these disparities determine who has access to resources, who bears the greatest burdens in times of crisis, and who has a voice in shaping solutions.
Women and other marginalized groups disproportionately bear the consequences of climate change, environmental degradation and resource depletion due to entrenched social and economic inequalities. These impacts manifest in several critical ways:
In workplaces, gender equality is also essential for building a sustainable workforce. Gender-sensitive human resources policies can also promote DEI and leadership in sectors crucial to sustainability, such as renewable energy, environmental management and climate governance.
Recognizing these dynamics, GSGS is committed to advancing gender-sensitive sustainability research that not only deepens academic knowledge but also drives policy and practice. Addressing gender in relation to sustainability is not just about equity – it is about building a resilient, just and sustainable future for all.
“The process has been deeply rewarding, driven by the journal’s mission to amplify underrepresented voices and foster critical interdisciplinary scholarship.”
DGB: What are some of the key challenges when it comes to launching a new journal? Was it an exciting process? A daunting one?
ML & TH: Launching GSGS was both an exciting and challenging endeavor. Establishing credibility required assembling a strong editorial board, securing institutional support, and demonstrating scholarly rigor. Attracting high-quality submissions meant extensive outreach and trust-building within academic networks. The journal also had to navigate interdisciplinary integration, ensuring coherence between gender studies and sustainability sciences through careful editorial policies and peer review.
Sustaining open access remains a challenge despite current support from Zhejiang Normal University, as long-term funding is needed for editorial operations and global dissemination. GSGS is committed to amplifying Global South voices, but scholars often face barriers like limited research funding and language constraints. Providing editorial assistance and waived publication fees has been crucial but resource-intensive. Additionally, competing with established journals requires strategic promotion and collaboration, while maintaining peer review efficiency demands dedicated reviewers and effective submission management. Despite these challenges, the process has been deeply rewarding, driven by the journal’s mission to amplify underrepresented voices and foster critical interdisciplinary scholarship.
DGB: How would you describe the ‘mission’ of GSGS?
ML & TH: Our mission is to promote international dialogue and collaboration on gender and sustainability, expand the understanding of these topics in the Global South and facilitate gender-responsive sustainable policies and practices. Beyond this, we also aim to establish the journal as a key knowledge hub for gender and sustainability research, fostering long-term engagement and scholarly innovation in this interdisciplinary field.
GSGS aspires to shape the future of gender and sustainability research globally, making space for transformative ideas, meaningful collaborations and scholarly contributions that can drive change in both academia and practice. The launch of this new journal bridges academic and practical knowledge to create real-world impact. It supports innovative and critical perspectives, ensuring that gender is not treated solely as a variable in sustainability research but as a fundamental analytical lens for understanding and addressing global challenges.
DGB: Why is it so important that GSGS is published in open access?
ML & TH: Open access publishing provides significant benefits for an interdisciplinary journal like GSGS. It ensures accessibility by removing financial barriers, allowing scholars, practitioners, and policymakers—especially in the Global South—to engage with research freely. This model also increases the impact of published work, as open-access articles are more widely read and cited, influencing both academic and policy discussions.
“Open access accelerates the dissemination of critical research, ensuring that policymakers and activists can apply findings in real time.”
By facilitating knowledge-sharing across disciplines, open access strengthens the integration of gender and sustainability perspectives. It also promotes equity in knowledge production by allowing scholars from underrepresented regions to contribute meaningfully to global research. GSGS supports this mission by waiving article processing charges (APCs) for authors from resource-limited settings, easing financial burdens for early-career researchers.
Additionally, open access accelerates the dissemination of critical research, ensuring that policymakers and activists can apply findings in real time. By adopting this model, GSGS not only enhances the visibility and reach of gender and sustainability research but also fosters a more inclusive and equitable academic publishing environment.
DGB: Can you tell us about the people and institutions who have made this new journal possible?
ML & TH: Gender and Sustainability in the Global South is a truly global and interdisciplinary effort. Zhejiang Normal University has provided financial and administrative support for the launch. The Editorial Board includes renowned scholars from multiple disciplines and regions, ensuring a diverse and high-quality peer review process. International organizations, such as the International Association of Schools of Social Work and the Canadian and European Associations for Social Work Education, have supported the journal’s credibility and outreach. Additionally, contributions from DAWN (Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era), UN-affiliated organizations, and national bodies like the Chinese Society of Women’s Studies have expanded our reach in different parts of the world. These diverse partnerships form a strong foundation for advancing global discussions on gender and sustainability.
DGB: Meng and Tuula, thank you for sharing your insights and expertise with our readers!
Recent Highlights
The inaugural issue of Gender and Sustainability in the Global South presents an impressive collection of interdisciplinary research that bridges gender, social justice and sustainability in diverse global contexts, including:
- “Climate Change: A Gendered Experience” by renowned scholar Lena Dominelli explores the differentiated impacts of climate change on men and women, especially in structurally vulnerable populations. Dominelli provides a powerful critique of climate policies that overlook gendered experiences and emphasizes women’s leadership in grassroots climate resilience strategies.
- “Association Between Early Marriage and Domestic Violence Among Women in Afghanistan” by Mohammad Fazel Akbary et al. offers a rigorous quantitative analysis from Bamyan Province, Afghanistan. It reveals a strong correlation between early marriage and heightened risks of emotional, physical, and sexual violence, underlining the need for policy interventions that delay marriage and promote women’s autonomy.
looking Ahead…
Future issues of GSGS will continue to explore a diverse range of themes, expanding interdisciplinary dialogues and amplifying voices from underrepresented regions. Upcoming research will examine the intersection of gender and climate justice through case studies from Africa, Latin America, and Asia, highlighting how climate change disproportionately affects women and marginalized communities. The journal will also focus on gender-responsive policies for sustainable development, digital technologies in promoting gender equity, and indigenous knowledge in traditional ecological practices.
Additionally, we will address themes such as transnational feminism in environmental activism, gender-sensitive social work, economic empowerment in sustainable entrepreneurship, and the gendered impacts of displacement and migration. Special issues and themed sections responding to emerging global challenges will further position GSGS as a vital knowledge hub for gender and sustainability.
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