By Hon Imaan Sulaiman- Ibrahim fsi
Minister of Women Affairs
Nigeria
The sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is ongoing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from December 2 to 13 December 2024.
UNCCD is the world’s platform where governments, businesses and civil society can come together to discuss present-day challenges and chart a sustainable future for land.
The COP16 is the largest-ever meeting of UNCCD’s 197 Parties, the first to be held in the Middle East region and the largest multilateral conference ever hosted by Saudi Arabia. The event is also occuring the same year as the UNCCD’s 30th anniversary.
Honourable Minister of Women’s Affairs, Hon Imaan Sulaiman- Ibrahim took the centre stage in addressing biases against women, pointing out the negative impacts on Land degradation, desertification and deprivations among others.
Excerpts:
Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen, Esteemed Colleagues, and Distinguished Guests, It is an immense honor to stand before the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) COP16 members and UN Women today at this critical juncture in our global history.
The challenges of land degradation and desertification extend beyond environmental concerns; they threaten the very fabric of our communities, economies, and health. Across Nigeria, the impact of land degradation is felt acutely across the 6 Geopolitical Zones, creating a terrible cycle of poverty and insecurity.
In the northeast , which is in close proximity to the Lake Chad Basin, climate change intersects with conflict, forcing millions of people to flee their homes. Women and children who constitute 80% of these displaced populations, face heightened risks of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), forced and early marriages, disrupting education and worsening poverty.
Expanding desertification continues to undermine agriculture and water resources in the North West, While In the southern regions, particularly in the Niger Delta states, climate change manifests in rising sea levels, coastal erosion, flooding, and biodiversity loss, The Southeast continue to battle devastating effects of gully erosion, which has displaced over thousands of people, destroyed farmlands, and led to significant economic losses.
Over the past several years, Nigeria has made significant strides on strengthening its regulatory mechanisms including: the signing of the climate change bill into law, the establishment of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), and the launch of Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan. Earlier this year, the NCCC unveiled Nigeria’s NDC Implementation Framework for 2023 – 2030, aimed at mitigating climate change while embracing adaptation and innovation as the cornerstones of our mission. A Climate Gender Policy has also been adopted to further strengthen the role of Nigerian women in climate action.
The State Governments as well as Federal entities such as the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and the Niger Delta Development Commission ,Local and International partners continue to make commendable efforts to address these challenges and mitigate their impact. However, the magnitude of the crisis and the vulnerability of the people affected demands more targeted and innovative action.
As the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, I recognize the vital role women play in sustainable development and environmental stewardship. Climate Change is also women’s business.
Therefore empowering women to participate in Climate Action is a catalyst for innovative solutions and community resilience. I am here to tell you that if we are to win this fight and slow down or reverse some of the effects of climate change, we must provide women with platforms and tools to participate, contribute and drive these solutions that the World urgently needs to meet the relevant sustainable development Goals.
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His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu continues to demonstrate our Government’s commitment to addressing climate change and established a committee to oversee the Green Economic Initiative, a strategic measure to address climate change challenges in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s women make up over 50% of the population, while Over 70% of agricultural activities are done by women, This means that we have the numbers and the willingness to tap into the opportunities provided by the green economy.
Investing in women is always sound investment. Evidence from various projects across the world have shown that when women are given access to credit and finance, skills training, and resources, they invest in ways that enhance food security, increase family income, and foster community resilience.
At this juncture, I am excited to share that the ministry of Women Affairs is ready to take significant steps towards a sustainable future within these frameworks through the following strategic actions :
We have committed to the establishment of a climate Division in the Ministry to coordinate and drive sustainable gender- responsive and age sensitive climate actions.
Furthermore, we will be introducing a Women in Green Economy Program in 2025. Under this program , we will:
l Engage Women in Planting 10 Million Economic Trees and Plants including the Nopal Cactus Cladodes which is known for its ability to combat desertification and enhance soil health. Such plants provide sustainable social and economic benefits along the value chain, including income generation opportunities
l Empower 1 Million in climate smart agriculture
l Transition 1 million households to Clean Cooking Energy
l Support 1000 Female -Owned Startups involved in climate friendly businesses
l Train 500,000 Women on Agro Processing
l Train and Equip 2,000 Community -based Female Climate Champions to support data collection and sensitization across all communities of concern
We believe that with sincere and balanced collaborations and support from our communities, other Nations, the UN systems, Donor Bodies, Financial Institutions, INGOs, NGOs, and sister MDAs, we can drive the Women in Green Economy program to success and in 3 years drastically enhance the quality of life of millions of women and children.
We remain steadfastly committed to the Renewed Hope Agenda President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and will ensure full alignment with existing policy frameworks.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I can assure you that Nigerian Women are ready to leverage their capacities to nourish, replenish and safeguard our world for our children and the generations to come.
Being a full text presented at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) ongoing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
