Accra: Mrs. Samira Bawumia, wife of former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has urged African leaders to empower young Africans, particularly women and children, to be at the forefront of innovation and impact in the fight against climate change. Speaking at the opening of the 2025 Africa Women and Children Conference (AFRIWOCC) in Accra, she emphasized the need for youth-centred platforms that advocate for their full participation as leaders of today.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mrs. Bawumia highlighted that women and children are no longer peripheral voices in climate action. She called upon governments, civil society, international partners, the private sector, academia, and young people to renew their commitment to transforming dialogue into partnership and investing in Africa-led solutions. The theme of the conference, 'Young Voices, Innovative Ideas, Greater Impact for Africa,' underscores the necessity of empowering young people to drive transformation across Africa.
Madam Myriam Montrat, Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, also addressed the conference, underlining the importance of quality education as a cornerstone of sustainable development. She noted that millions of children and youth remain out of school while many enrolled are not learning effectively. Canada, a long-time partner with Ghana since 1957, continues to support technical and vocational education and training (TVET) with a current contribution of 30 million Canadian dollars. This funding focuses on providing gender-sensitive and market-relevant skills training for young women and men.
The High Commissioner also highlighted the impact of climate change on education, pointing out that between 2022 and 2024, extreme weather events affected the education of 400 million children globally. She advocated for integrating climate education into national curricula to prepare students for future challenges.
Dr. Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, Executive Director of The Ark Foundation Ghana, encouraged young people to actively engage in advocacy to influence positive change. She emphasized the importance of intentional inclusion of women, particularly young women, in these efforts, advocating for collaboration between genders to make a significant impact.
