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Let women, children be heard on climate change – 2nd Lady
Mrs Samira Bawumia addressing the gathering
The Second Lady, Mrs Samira Bawumia has asked stakeholders to make conscious and deliberate effort to create space for women and young people’s voices to be heard, especially on climate change.
“You cannot make progress without leveraging the full resources of the majority of our population who are women and children especially in decision making,” she said.
According to her, climate change is increasingly inducing migration and heightening political insecurity threats across the sub-region, further impacting economic stability, especially of women and children.
Mrs Bawumia said this at the maiden Africa Women and Children Conference (AFRIWOCC), a platform to address the impact of climate change on women and children.
The conference, an initiative of the Second Lady, on Empowerment and Humanitarian Projects (SEHP), under the auspices of the Office of the President, was themed: “Amplifying the Voices of Women and Children in Climate Action.”
Mrs Bawumia said the conference would coordinate a network of organisations focused on women and children in the climate change economy.
The Second Lady said climate action must be holistic, inclusive and intersectional to address the diversities and challenges faced by all especially women and children from different backgrounds, including those in rural areas, urban centres, indigenous communities and persons with disabilities.
She said it was only a comprehensive approach that could ensure that no one was left behind in pursuit of sustainability.
“I call upon governments, organisations, businesses and individuals to recognise the urgency of trying to solve the climate crisis and embrace the transformative power of gender equality,” she said.
The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Amina J. Mohammed said there was the need for governments and decision makers at all levels to get involved and prioritise the wellbeing of women and children.
She urged stakeholders to set goals and work with a higher impact climate action that would unlock the potential of women and also to protect children.
“We have to identify practical solutions when it comes to women and children at the centre of our social sphere so that together we can develop as a continent,” she said.
According to her, African countries are at the highest risk of suffering from the impacts of climate crisis, adding that, “Africa suffers disproportionately from climate impacts, including droughts and insecurity.”
The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonja-Iweala said trade must be leveraged as a tool, both for climate action and for women’s economic empowerment.
She said government and policymakers must ensure that women and children were safe in the decision making process, adding that protecting the lives and livelihoods of women and children in Africa, was paramount to development.
Troubled and anxious citizens in Damongo of the Savannah Region have expressed concerns about the number of young people, believed to be under the age of 18, involved in ‘shisha’ smoking in pubs and drinking spots within the township.
Eyewitnesses say the minors were seen patronising nightlife venues, where Shisha smoking happen in the open.
The situation has sparked renewed public concern over the enforcement of child protection laws and regulations governing the operations of entertainment centres in the municipality and country as a whole.
An eyewitness, who spoke to The Spectator on conditions of anonymity for security reasons, noted that the situation was becoming increasingly common.
“This is not a one-off incident. It is becoming very common, but residents like us cannot openly report or speak about it because our lives will be at risk,” he said.
Under Ghanaian law, minors were prohibited from patronising Shisha.
Public health experts have consistently warned that shisha use exposes users to harmful substances that can negatively affect brain development, respiratory health, and overall well-being, particularly among young people.
The residents believe the alleged incidents point to broader challenges relating to youth supervision, substance abuse, and weak enforcement of existing regulations and have called on municipal authorities, security agencies, and regulatory bodies to intensify monitoring of pubs and entertainment centres to ensure compliance with the law.
In an effort to address the menace, Mr Salisu Be-Awurbi, the Savannah Regional Minister, has led public education campaigns, engaged security agencies, and supported enforcement actions to address the rising use of illicit substances in the region.
Wura Kelly Seidu Boresah I, the Chief of Damongo, has also called on all stakeholders including parents, community leaders, institutions, and young people to actively support efforts to curb drug abuse, warning that the rising consumption of hard drugs poses a serious health threat to the future of the youth in the Savannah Region.
He also cautioned individuals involved in the sale and distribution of illicit drugs to immediately desist from the practice, stressing that offenders will face arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law.
From Geoffrey Buta, Damongo, Savannah Region
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Dr Theresa Baffour, an advocate for ending violence and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SAHM SAHW Foundation, has said that society plays a critical and pivotal role in breaking the cycle of domestic violence.
According to her, domestic violence is a major contributor of making women, who are mostly the victims, mentally derailed and unable to engage in economic activities.
She said this when the foundation called on the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, to solicit support for the initiative by the “Strong and Healthy Minds, Strong and Healthy Women” (SAHM SAHW) to combat domestic violence within the Ga State.
The visit was occasioned by the fact that domestic violence cases have become quite prevalent in the Ga communities and is retarding growth.
According to her, the canker was an impediment to national development because the victims were usually tortured and would have to go through series of therapies to return to the right state of mind.
Dr Baffour mentioned that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) places a mental toll on women, and was, therefore, important to break the cycle through comprehensive mental health support, crisis intervention and empowerment programmes in communities with high rates of GBV.
This intervention, she underscored, would help in empowering the denigrated victim of domestic violence to soundly heal, build and thrive.
Dr Baffour added that the initiative would provide holistic, trauma-informed mental health care and advocacy for young women affected by domestic violence.
According to her, the above statement would create safe spaces for healing and equipping them with entrepreneurial skills for renewed hope and empowered life.
The Ga Mantse pledged his support for the laudable initiative to combat domestic violence and also acknowledged the need to address it in the Ga State.
Further endorsement came from Justice Julia Naa-Yarley Adjei Amoah, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Ga Mantse, as she commended the team of SAHM SAHW Foundation for taking a bold step to end the canker in the Greater Accra.
She added that it was a step in the right direction to save vulnerable women from torture, stress and emotional abuse.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
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