›

Engage policymakers, govt to integrate voices of women, children in climate policies -Samira Bawumia

Samira Bawumia with some of the dignitaries at the AFRIWOCC

Mon, 7 Aug 2023 Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Implementers of the LEAN project funded by the European Union has participated in the just-ended maiden edition of the Africa Women and Children Conference (AFRIWOCC) organized by the Samira Empowerment and Humanitarian Projects (SEHP), under the auspices of the Office of the President at Kempinski Hotel, Accra.

The 2-day conference under the theme ‘Amplifying the Voices of Women and Children in Climate Action’ brought together a diverse range of participants including high-level government officials, policymakers, renowned experts, representatives from international organizations, civil society and grassroots community leaders to foster meaningful dialogue and collaboration on climate change issues affecting women and children across Africa and beyond.

The conference explored practical projects and programs to address the adverse effects of climate change on women and children while documenting indigenous knowledge and innovation related to climate change.

The Second Lady of the Republic of Ghana, Samira Bawumina, in her closing remarks, said AFRIWOCC will not only be a platform for dialogue but also a catalyst for change, a call to action and a celebration of resilience.

According to her, the commitments made, the resolutions adopted, and the initiatives launched will resonate long after the conference was over.

Samira Bawumina urged participants to engage with policymakers, government and institutions to integrate the voices of women and children into climate policies and the decision-making process and with that policies that are equitable, inclusive, and sustainable ensuring that no one is left behind in the fight against climate change will be created.

The Ambassador of the European Union to Ghana, Irchard Razaaly, in a statement, said the EU has put gender equality on top priority and thus is solidly behind AFRIWOCC and looking forward to the differences made at the next conference COP28 that will convene from 30 November to 12 December 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

He mentioned the LEAN project as one of the projects the EU is undertaking in Ghana. LEAN which stands for ‘Landscapes and Environmental Agility across the Nation’ is a four-year project which aims to directly support national efforts to conserve biodiversity, improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers, build climate resilience, and reduce emissions from land-use changes across Ghana’s savannah, high forest, and transition zones.

The conference ended with the signing of a communique that represented a collective commitment to action.

The document is expected to guide governments, civil society, and the private sector to prioritize the rights and well-being of women and children in climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.