As the world continues getting ravaged by the hard-hitting impacts of Climate Change, the Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO Uganda) has amplified efforts aimed towards mitigating this dilemma.
This followed the recent study conducted in partnership with the Youth Climate Councils Global Alliance and the Youth Climate Council in Uganda penning down critical gaps hindering thorough youth engagement in bottom-up climate policy processes.
Among these issues captured by the report were lack of opportunities, financial resources, capacity and an organized structure for meaningful engagement in climate activism and policy discussions.
The report dubbed “A Pathway to Resilience” recommended an ardent need to center youth as (co) leaders in the climate movement goes a long way beyond recognizing their potential, dynamic adaptabilities and enthusiasm- to creating meaningful and safe spaces, and providing adequate resources to scale up their impact and ambition.
Aiita Joshua Apamaku, Climate Officer Gayo Uganda says there is need for a contextual understanding of the needs and priorities of the younger generation, while creating safe spaces, providing resources to support their work.
In a quest to achieve this, Gayo Uganda (a youth-led gender-balanced advocacy group that focuses largely on environmental sustainability and community development) and Youth Climate Council in Uganda have trained 34 youth on the role of participation in climate policy.
The second edition of the policy training took place on 27th November 2023 at the Grand Global Hotel in Kampala. This was in collaboration with several partners, including GIZ in Uganda, the National Youth Council, TARD Foundation, Citizens Concern Africa, and Pearl of Africa TV.
“The training was organized in order to expound extensively on a robust co-learning space between the facilitators and participants with a deep dive on increasing participants’ knowledge of UNFCCC processes and carbon market-based climate financing mechanisms,” Aiita said adding that the full day of training attracted 34 young people from all over the country.
Isaac Ndyamuhaki, Programs Manager, Circular Economy at GAYO Uganda revealed that the rationale of the training was driven by the ever-growing need for youth to build on their knowledge and skill base- to understand and conceptualize through thematic areas, their role in contributing towards addressing the climate crisis.
Ndyamuhaki encouraged the participants and trainees to embrace intensive learning and building self-capacities around topics that matter most to their experiences, interests and professional aspirations.
“The training further sets precedent on the power of youth (co)learning spaces and how youth have continued to effectively support themselves and build their own capacities to address the critical societal challenges that arise from climate change,” Nyamuhaki said adding that Moving forward from the Workshop, GAYO Uganda in collaboration with the Youth Climate Council envisioned a long-term strategy to build the capacity of youth along thematic tracks.
“The Green Africa Youth Organization and the Youth Climate Council remain strongly committed to building the capacities of youth to identify their niche while continuing to meaningfully contribute meaningfully from an informed perspective through both policy and implementation processes,” He revealed.
