Group picture of participants & Team SYND
Story by: Ishmael Barfi
In its quest to elevate the capacity of young people in climate action, the youth-led result-oriented Organization, Strategic Youth Network for Development-Ghana (SYND) has provided a platform for 30 enthusiastic young individuals to share their inspiring journeys, experiences as well and their work towards enhancing their participation in the formulation and implementation of climate policies at the local level.
The gathering under the Youth in Climate Action at the Local level project provided these young people the opportunity to enhance their capacities and hence effect change at the grassroots level.
And also equipped the young people with skills to combat climate change through active youth engagement at the district level.
Welcoming the participants at the one-day interactive session in Accra, the focal lead for the project, Isabel Nana Yaa Andam emphasized that, the Youth in Climate Action at a local level is a result of the need to ensure young people are involved especially at the local level in addressing climate action.
Focal lead for Youth in Climate Action at the Local level project, Isabel Nana Yaa Andam
This she said is due to non-participation of young people at the local level which she noted is worrying and hinders the progress of activities aimed at promoting climate justice.
Therefore SYND saw the need to put together the Youth in Climate Action at the local level project, hence its commitment to galvanizing youth involvement in the relentless battle for climate justice.
In that regard, Isabel Nana Yaa Andam emphasized that the active engagement of the younger generation in fulfilling their civic responsibility is essential to aid Ghana in achieving its NDCs.
A participant sharing his experience
“We see that like our district assemblies, they are responsible for implementing government’s policies with less or no participation of young people”, she eluded.
To that effect, the focal lead of Youth in Climate Action at the local level project pointed out that, “Youth participation entails actively involving young people in processes, institutions, and decisions that shape their lives.
Adding, “It is about time to ensure that the youth not only have a seat at the table but also play a substantial role in discussions, resolutions, and actions that lead to tangible benefits for both them and society at large.”
On her part, the Ho Municipal Assembly Senior Development Planning Officer Khadija Yakubu revealed that her Assembly is vigorously implementing projects aimed at tackling climate change issues in the Municipality.
Ho Municipal Assembly Senior Development Planning Officer Khadija Yakubu
The Assembly she noted does embark on continuous awareness creation both on radio, in schools, churches, as well as communities within their jurisdiction.
“For instance, we have communities that are into sand winning, so as much as we talk about climate change in general, we zoom into the effects of the sand winning especially if it’s not controlled. And then after that, we have tree planting. Aside from the green Ghana tree planting project”, she indicated.
In all these, Madam Khadija Yakubu revealed that the youth are the front liners in ensuring effective implementation.
Adding “We have the youth groups in communities who do plant trees, we give them the seedlings then we see which group would be able to nurture their seedlings to grow. We are looking at all these things, and we intend to put in a reward base as a way of motivating and encouraging them to actively participate in the tree planting activities”.
Youth in Climate Action: 30 young people share their inspiring journeys & experiences
She used the occasion to call on her colleagues at the various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to engage the youth since most of them are advocates on numerous social media platforms.
“So if you can integrate them into your daily activities concerning climate change, they can take it out there. One tweet can lead to 1000 retweets. Some put it on their WhatsApp status. The next thing you know it is downloaded and it’s all over the place. So if we can engage the youth more, we will see massive results with regards to the fight against climate change”, she concluded.
Sharing his experience, a beneficiary of the project, Adigao Alvin Wenia was excited indicating that the project had been an eye-opening experience.
To him, though the journey has not been an easy one, he noted that he had the chance to learn from his peers as well as the opportunity to engage with his local assemblies.
A beneficiary of the project, Adigao Alvin Wenia
Adigao Alvin Wenia who is a student from the University of Ghana pursuing a degree in biological sciences urged his fellow young people to be actively involved at the local level adding that, young people can do a lot towards the fight for climate justice.
“We are the future, we are the younger ones, we are the ones who will be here in the next roughly 30 to 50 years. So it’s all dependent on us and with leadership allowing us to contribute in the decision making, let us take up initiatives to support the existing policies to ensure that our environment is safe, secured and sustainability flourishes”, he admonished.
Meanwhile, the Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND) commitment to nurturing climate-conscious youth promises a brighter future in the fight against climate change at the local level.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
