Daily Times

Mansfield student Sarah Jehaan Khan was invited by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the Asian Development Bank to present at their annual Judicial Roundtable Conference on Environmental Justice in Fiji.

The annual conference, held in Fiji this year, brings together Justices and Judges from across Asia and the Pacific to explore the role that the rule of law can play in responding to climate change – especially in islands which will be impacted the most. Sarah, who is an award winning filmmaker, was the youngest expert speaker at the event, where she shared her environmental film and policy recommendations.

Her session focused on resource depletion and the sustainability of climate actions, showcasing the adaptation methods of rural Pakistani women which may be replicated in other affected communities. It also emphasised the need to involve women in policy design and implementation for maximum effectivity of any environmental projects or policy reforms.

Sarah Jehaan Khan is a third year Theology undergraduate from Pakistan. Her filmmaking work focuses on the link between climate change and human rights, and documents indigenous, local adaptation methods to climate change. Her films have won over 18 awards internationally and she has been featured in the BBC’s list of 100 Women for her environmental advocacy.

Her short film ‘The Ripple Effect’ documents how simple and affordable rainwater harvesting methods have transformed the lives of rural Pakistani women by giving them access to safe water. She has spoken at Harvard University, SXSW, Paley Centre for Media, and universities across Pakistan on the link between women’s rights and climate change.

In November 2019, Sarah will be launching a forum at the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights focused on the link between storytelling and social change, as well as showcasing climate adaptation success stories.