WOMEN REVOLUTIONISING THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCENE: THE AFRICAN WOMEN AND GIRLS DEMAND FOR COP 27.
The annual international ongoing climate change conference is bringing in decision makers, environmental activists and changemakers from around the world to the beautiful city of Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt. Before this conference came the highly anticipated African Women and Girls Demands, which composed of deliberations and requests put forth by African Women and Girls especially regarding climate change which plagues the continent, with women being at the forefront. Needless to say, women face various structural inequalities and often tend to be relegated to the background regarding various societal, political, economic and even cultural issues.
The hybrid event brought together policy makers and champions for climate justice, all ahead of COP27 to exchange on the current status of women and girls in the fight against climate change, and the inextricable role of African women and girls in advancing climate action.
After enumerating the various forms of climate change experienced in the different parts of Africa, the first speaker Zainab Yunusa, put forth the following demands, which were further buttressed by other speakers.
● The desire for women’s leadership, participation and representation at the conference,
● The need for just and equitable transition,
● Sufficient climate funding (including its coverage of damage),
● Agricultural and land rights (which are a necessity and a key value in the African continent),
● The desire for just technology,
● Intersectionality and linkages with work programs (because partnership and collaboration is fundamental in our advancement in tackling the climate crisis).
These six parameters basically encompass the idea of bettering sustainable climate action not just with women as participants, but with the aid of other extraneous aspects like funding, technology and land rights. But the question remains, how effective will decision makers be in answering the heartfelt demands of women across Africa who want nothing more than active participation (and why not leadership) in environmental issues, in order to cater for the needs of present generations while uncompromising the needs of future generations? The expectations around Africa and beyond are soaring, hoping for a positive outcome and subsequently a speedy implementation of the policies provided by the conference.
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