From 9th to 10th April, Youth Initiative for Climate Action (YICA) facilitated a two-day Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) Workshop and Consultation specifically for young women and girls across Sierra Leone. This consultation was independently led by YICA with the goal of collecting valuable input that will be submitted to key stakeholders in the form of policy briefs and recommendations.

The official review of Sierra Leone’s NDCs has been launched by the government, and it is crucial that the voices of young women and girls are heard in this process. As climate change continues to impact communities across Sierra Leone, especially vulnerable groups like women and girls, it is imperative that they are included in shaping the solutions and policies that will affect their future. By independently leading this consultation, we aim to ensure that the NDC reflects the specific challenges faced by young women and girls and includes actionable recommendations to address these challenges.

Objectives of the Consultation

The NDCs consultation focused on gathering input specifically from young women and girls, ensuring that their needs, challenges, and priorities were represented in the NDC review. The consultation was designed to:

• Identify key priorities and concerns of young women and girls related to climate change.
• Discuss the barriers preventing meaningful involvement in NDC processes and develop strategies to overcome them.
• Create actionable policy recommendations that can be submitted to the NDC review stakeholders, ensuring that youth and marginalized groups are actively represented in the climate conversation.

Key Themes Discussed

The two-day consultation included structured discussions and group activities centered on three main themes: Adaptation, Mitigation, and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI). Each group contributed unique insights and recommendations within these areas:

Adaptation:

Participants identified critical adaptation priorities for young women and girls, focusing on improving food security, water access, and health systems to cope with climate change impacts. Recommendations included climate-smart agriculture initiatives, increased access to clean water, and disaster preparedness programs that integrate youth and gender perspectives.

Mitigation:

The discussion on mitigation focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fostering sustainable development. Recommendations included increased adoption of renewable energy technologies, promoting sustainable waste management practices, and creating green jobs for youth and women, particularly in rural areas. Young women and girls emphasized the need for affordable and accessible green technologies and capacity-building opportunities to ensure their participation in mitigation efforts.

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI):

The GESI discussion emphasized the importance of ensuring that gender equality is integrated into all climate action strategies. Participants explored ways to empower young women by increasing their participation in decision-making processes and ensuring that climate policies support gender-responsive action. Key recommendations included capacity-building programs, financial support for women-led initiatives, and the mainstreaming of gender equality in climate policies at the national level.

Recommendations for the Updated NDC

By the end of the consultation, participants developed actionable recommendations for the updated NDC:

• Prioritize youth-led climate actions and ensure that young women and girls are given opportunities to lead in adaptation, mitigation, and monitoring efforts.
• Integrate climate resilience strategies for vulnerable communities, with a focus on gender equality and social inclusion.
• Improve youth access to climate finance, technology, and training to enable them to contribute meaningfully to climate action efforts.
• Create platforms for youth representation in climate governance, ensuring that young women and marginalized groups are actively involved in policy development and implementation.

This consultation was made possible with the support of She Leads and Plan International, both of whom have been instrumental in ensuring that young women and girls have the resources and opportunities to actively engage in climate action discussions. Their collaboration in this process has been vital in making sure that the consultation reached a broad and diverse group of young women, especially from marginalized communities.

Next Steps: General Youth Consultation Across Sierra Leone

With the success of this consultation, the next step will be to lead a general youth consultation across Sierra Leone. This will allow us to gather input from a wider range of young people, ensuring that the voices of all youth—especially those from rural and marginalized communities—are included in the NDC review process.

The YICA team remains committed to ensuring that youth voices continue to shape the climate conversation, both in Sierra Leone and on the global stage. We will continue to support young women and girls as they take the lead in climate resilience and sustainable development, advocating for a green, inclusive, and resilient Sierra Leone.