Samira Bawumia
Former Second Lady, Hajia Samira Bawumia, who is also the Chair of the Africa Women and Children Conference (AFRIWOCC) and the Norwegian Ambassador to Ghana, Dr. John Mikail Kvistan have jointly called for a shift in the climate change narrative among women and the youth in Africa.
The call was made at the end of a two-day AFRIWOCC 2025 in Accra.
At the end of the two-day intensive dialogue, a communiqué aimed at empowering Africa’s youth and women in the climate fight was signed by both dignitaries.
The cornerstone of the document “is a call for a decisive shift in Africa’s climate change narrative from one of victimhood to one of agency and resilience, particularly for its youth and women.”
The communiqué, issued under the conference theme “Young Voices, Innovative Ideas, Greater Impact for Africa,” directly addresses the key challenges identified during the sessions. It acknowledges that African women, youth, and children suffer most adverse effects of climate change.
Key barriers highlighted include a lack of knowledge and skills for effective advocacy, restricted access to green financing for innovative ideas, and the environmental and health hazards of traditional cooking fuels.
To address these challenges, the communiqué outlines a series of recommendations targeting all levels of society:
For governments and leaders, the document urges national governments, regional bodies, and development partners to actualise previous commitments on financing green initiatives and ensuring the meaningful participation of youth and women in climate governance. Leaders are called upon to support young people with increased funding and training, and to begin teaching technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) early in their national Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curricula. An inclusive, multi-sectoral approach to promoting clean cooking is also strongly recommended.
In a significant call for self-empowerment, the communiqué advises young people and women to be deliberate about building their own capacities through research and skill development. This is aimed at boosting the confidence of decision-makers and green financers in their ability to lead on policy and project implementation. It also encourages youth entrepreneurs to better understand their markets and effectively mobilise capital to build scalable green businesses.
The communiqué also emphasises that climate action is a collective responsibility. It calls on climate activists to simplify their messaging using creative means to reach wider audiences, including children. It also urges everyone to value and reclaim indigenous ancestral knowledge on environmental conservation and to get involved through small, intentional actions like planting a tree or recycling.
The conference was co-hosted by AFRIWOCC and the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office in Ghana and was sponsored by the SIGRA project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, and Zenith Bank. The communiqué now serves as a guiding document for stakeholders to advance environmental justice and sustainable development across the continent, with Africa’s youth and women at the forefront.
AFRIWOCC is a continental platform that convenes policymakers, youth leaders, women entrepreneurs, innovators, and development partners to accelerate youth and women’s inclusion in governance, leadership, and sustainable development.