Transcript Youth Gender and Climate Change

OUTCOMES OF THE AFRICA DEVELOPMENT
FORUM VII ON CLIMATE CHANGE WITH A
FOCUS ON GENDER AND YOUTH-: THE WAY
FORWARD
SANDRA ZAWEDDE
June 28. 2011
Why a Pre-Africa Development Forum (ADF) on
Climate Change and Vulnerability ?
Can we address vulnerability if we don’t understand
the issues?
• Increased pressure from Africa’s fast growing,
youthful & urbanized population
• Increased disparities, decreased health, increased
migration, affected livelihoods, food insecurity, &
access to education etc
• Climate change impacts economic and social
development
Objectives of ADF
Climate change and vulnerability :
• 2/3 of world’s youth lack
sanitation- WHO, 2006.
• App. 20 to 50% youth in African
lack access to improved sanitation
facilities.
• In Ethiopia and Kenya respectively,
children< 5 were 36 and 50 percent
more likely to be malnourished
•
In Niger children <= 2 were 72%
more likely to be stunted if born
during a drought (UNDP, 2007-
Climate change and vulnerability :
• Food insecurity, decreased
livelihoods. women own less
than 10% of agricultural land
• Increased migration
• Dropout rates of school age
girls
• Increased early marriages
• Increased sexual violence in
emergency camps
Now that ADF is over: Way forward on
the general ADF Outcomes
• Inputs in relevant international previous
processes like Cancun and Rio+20
• Africa’s common negotiating position in
other fora e.g. COP 17
• Basis for the preparation of an Action Plan
on Climate Change
ADF Call for Action
What steps are being taken / could be
taken to reduce the vulnerability of
women and youth?
ADF Call for Action
• Support to the ClimDev-Africa Programme
• Allocate climate change funds through the Africa
Green Fund.
• Mainstream climate change concerns into NDPs
led by the, COMEF.
• Gender and child-centered, ecosystem-based
approach in climate change adaptation and
mitigation
• Joint secretariat to strengthen Africa’s
participation in International negotiations and
enhance capacity
Some Progress and Actions taken thus far
• Continental climate-change programmes and
initiatives endorsed by AU Summit:
– ClimDev-Africa Programme
– Great Green Wall of the Sahel and Sahara
– African Monitoring of the Environment for Sustainable
Development (AMESD) Programme;
• The Africa Climate Policy Centre (ACPC) to
support effective implementation of Clim-Dev
Africa Programme.
• The Africa Green Fund
Look out for the major achievements and
gaps and challenges in ensuring
adequate attention to gender
perspectives in these climate change
efforts
Challenges encountered in the
implementation of the outcomes
• Economic challenges
• Financing climate change
• Governance and leadership:
• Participation: Representation is
inadequate
FINANCING
What are the critical issues for youth and
women in financing or addressing
financing of climate change at national
and local levels?
PARTICIPATION
What steps are being taken /
could be taken to increase the
participation of youth and
women in decision-making on
climate change at different
levels?
What good practice examples
can be provided?
Concrete recommendations
• Implement existing commitments
• Mainstream Climate change into HSD
• Strengthen population dynamics and
programming in climate change responses
• Research and Capacity Building, South to
south- UNECA/ACGS research to-date
MAINSTREAM
What steps are being taken / could be
taken to mainstream gender
perspectives?
What good practice examples can be
provided?
Concrete recommendations cont.
Look at opportunities presented
• Innovation e.g. Agriculture- fertilizers, genetic
engineering, dri-water, hydroponics.
• Green economy- green jobs
• Opportunity to reform education systems
• Solving Africa’s energy problems
• International cooperation
• Policy Integration- as a way of efficient resource
mobilization and utilization.
Concrete recommendations cont.
Context is crucial and critical thinking is
necessary.
THANK YOU