As a UN agency working to promote children’s rights, UNICEF remains concerned about climate issues and is committed to working with children, adolescents and youth to increase their role in preserving our ecosystem and improving the resilience of children’s social services to this crisis.
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Following the success of the One Forest Youth Summit on 27-28 February, UNICEF has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the One Forest Youth Initiative and the Ministry of Youth and Sports to collaborate on the implementation of their Manifesto. The main objective will be to contribute to the capacity development of children and youth and to foster a generation of youth and adult climate advocates.
Indeed, the involvement of young people in decision making is very important. Young people must be included in all national, regional and international climate negotiations and decisions. They must be empowered to ‘be champions in climate action’ through climate education and green skills.
For UNICEF, this partnership is a continuation of the commitment made because, according to Noel Marie Zagré, UNICEF Resident Representative in Gabon, it is important that everyone plays a role in building a generation of climate-responsible adults with skills in environmental and ecosystem management and preservation.
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The partnership signed will focus on building the capacity of young people to make a significant contribution to environmental protection and sustainable development in Gabon, Africa and the world.
At the same time, UNICEF-Gabon has appointed Tamara Moutotekema Boussamba as a Young Climate Advocate to jointly amplify advocacy for climate and environmental protection/conservation, to raise her voice to advance the climate rights of children and youth.
Young people are an impressive cohort with immense potential to benefit their societies socially, politically and economically. They are also the most effective advocates for the issues that affect them, and they have the unique power to galvanize their peers around the issues they are passionate about. To realise children’s rights, decision-makers, including adults, businesses and world leaders must work with children and young people as agents of change.
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It is in this context that UNICEF Gabon is partnering with young spokespersons, advocates, influencers and youth-led movements as agents of change for today and tomorrow; and appointing. Youth Advocates are set to leverage their voices and join efforts to advance children’s rights and issues that matter to them, including the climate crisis.