“Southern Africa could create 78,000 new jobs in less than 20 years”- Thelma Munhequete
Southern Africa could create 78,000 new jobs in less than 20 years By Thelma Munhequete* I have attended the global Gender Climate Alliance Innovation Forum, on the sideline of COP22, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Marrakech, Morocco last november. The event was supported by different UN Agencies, organizations and stakeholders. 200 participants from different countries attended the two days event. Different experience and action where shared. Mary Robinson from the Mary Robinson Foundation, addressed the need of bigger and great Dialogues among Women globally, Regionally and at a country level. Participants have concentrated efforts to improve gender balance and increase the participation of women in all UNFCCC processes. The Forum addressed key questions: Where Are We? Where Are We Going? What topics? How can we integrate gender into urban climate policy? These are my thoughts. Where Are We? Gender in the communities is a relatively new topic in Mozambique. But it has not received much attention although it is acknowledged that women and the youth are the most vulnerable groups in the communities. In its response to ensure social safety and protection of the citizens, the Government of Mozambique introduced measures through departments. This is further supported by Policy Frameworks and Legal instruments. As Country Executive Director of Africa Foundation which works in southern Africa Countries, both in Mozambique and Zambia, I shared my experience in Mozambique. The lack of data is the main obstacle to integrate climate change, gender mainstream and the sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) simultaneously, in order to reduce poverty, promote food security and further gender equality in my country. Climate change is affecting the youth. In most cases, the youth helps the family. The decrease in water pressure reduces the reliability of the water borehole in the villages. During drought,people move with their livestock for grazing and so require water. These additional challenges compromise the health condition of the youth as well as the education. It is critical to assess the viability of scaling up successful local solutions as well as identifying new solutions for them. Where Are We Going? The associated lack of food, water and income is already visible and it’s reaching social consequences such adoption of risky behaviours consuming of alcohol abuse, criminal activities (Poaching), theft and corruption that lead to family breakdowns. We have embraced the principles of gender equality and empowerment of women and youth . Through our affiliation to the Global Gender and Climate Alliance (GGCA), we aim to mainstream gender in all projects. We adopted the Global Environment Facility’s Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) to guide our gender action plan which forms part...
COP 22 – Non State Actors: African Voices for Action
COP 22 – Non State Actors: African Voices for Action By Houmi Ahamed-Mikidache COP 22 will end on the 18th of November. Eraenvironnement.com introduces you to 11 African eminent experts. From Climate finance, environmental law, to climate justice, these experts are following deeply the negotiations. Their task: finding a new way of thinking and acting with the need to implement the Paris Agreement. Thelma Munequete Born in Mozambique, Thelma Munhequete is a serial entrepreneur, underpinned by training in Germany and South Africa . Based in Maputo, she setups and runs Africa Foundation For Sustainable Development office ( AFSD)* . This dynamic woman is experienced in project Coordination’s , Human resource (Training and Recruitment ) ,project execution. She has been appointed as the Global Environmental Facility’s Country Contact Point for the Civil Society Network, with a key objective of expanding the CSO network in Mozambique. She currently develops a Sustainable Community Lodge with main in focus for gender and Youths project and job creation. She has previously conducted Community Needs Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment for a Power Station in Mozambique with AFSD support. She will participate in the first ever Global Gender and Climate Alliance (GGCA) Innovation Forum from 12-13 November 2016, at the Université Cadi Ayyad in parallel to the 22nd Conference of Parties (COP22) of the UNFCCC in Marrakech, Morocco. At the closing session, she will moderate a panel entitled, “People, Gender and Policy on a Changing Planet”. *AFSD is guided by international conventions, the Sustainable Development Goals and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. One of the main challenges of social development is the Appolinaire Zagabe Working on Climate Change issues since 2011, Appolinaire Zagabe is one of the emerging talents of his country and Africa. He is from the Democratic Public of Congo. He owns his Master’s degree of Laws in Public International Law from Kampala International University in Uganda. He has taken various Environment and Climate change courses in Africa and Europe ( Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy). He gained significant experience at United Nations Model Conferences, as well as conflict resolution skills, human rights advocacy training, and alternative dispute resolution education and Diplomacy. He initiated multiple projects related to safe environment and food security in DRC. He has followed many UN Climate Change conference as an expert on environmental law. In Marrakech, he follows deeply the issues on climate finance especially on adaptation. Nkiruka Nnaemego is a lawyer, an agro-entrepreneur and a development practitioner from Nigeria. This young woman is the founder of the Nigerian youth Non Governmental Organization: Fresh and Young Brains Development Initiative ( FYBDI). She is the executive coordinator...