THE Former Second Lady of Ghana and founder of the Africa Women and Children Conference (AfriWocc), Mrs Samira Bawumia, has called on African youth to take the lead in driving the continent’s climate action agenda. She said Africa’s young people possessed the creativity, energy, and innovation to champion sustainable solutions to the climate crisis.
Mrs Bawumia made the call at the opening of AfriWoCC 2025 in Accra yesterday, on the theme “Young Voices, Innovative Ideas, and Greater Impact for Africa.” The conference brought together representatives from development partners, civil society, the diplomatic community, and youth groups.
Opening the conference, Mrs Bawumia said AfriWoCC, since its launch in 2023, had been working to amplify the voices of women, children, and youth in climate action through advocacy, partnerships, and policy engagement. She recalled that the inaugural conference produced the AfriWoCC Communiqué and Action Plan, which called for the inclusion of women and children in climate decision-making, mainstreaming indigenous knowledge, and promoting equitable access to climate finance and climate education.
Mrs Bawumia highlighted AfriWoCC’s major interventions, including the establishment of the Africa Women and Children Climate Fund, to support locally-led initiatives, and the Africa Students for Climate Action (ASCAP), which has reached 21 schools across the continent. She noted that AfriWoCC had also contributed to shaping Africa’s position at global platforms such as the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi and COP28 in Dubai, ensuring that women and youth were recognised as key stakeholders in climate policy.
While commending progress made so far, Mrs Bawumia said more effort was needed to translate commitments into fully-funded and inclusive programmes. “The theme for this year is not merely aspirational; it is an imperative. We must expand platforms that centre youth as leaders today and invest in scalable, locally driven solutions rooted in indigenous knowledge.” She urged governments, private sector, academia, and development partners to strengthen partnerships and support Africa-led climate solutions that prioritise women, children, and the youth.
The Country Manager of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Ms Elisabeth Fasika, underscored the need to harness the creativity and innovation of Africa’s youth to drive the continent’s development agenda. She said Africa’s rapidly growing youth population presents both a challenge and an opportunity. “By 2050, Africa’s working population will exceed that of India and China combined,” she said, urging governments to create a conducive environment for productive jobs and entrepreneurship, particularly for young people and women.
The Executive Director of Ark Foundation, Dr Angela Dwamena Aboagye, urged young people to take the lead in driving national and community action against climate change, as Ghana and other African countries continue to grapple with the growing impact of environmental degradation, rising temperatures, and erratic rainfall patterns. For her, empowering the youth to play a central role in climate adaptation and mitigation efforts was crucial to securing a sustainable future for the continent.
BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY & SARAH KWAKYE
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