Nigeria to address effects of environmental challenges on livelihoods 

The Nigerian government says it will continue to address the issues of environmental challenges affecting the livelihoods of communities especially farmers, and families who depend on natural resources for survival.

The Permanent Secretary Nigeria’s Ministry of Environment, Mr. Hassan Musa stated this at a high level presidency event on “Advancing Gender Equality in Climate Action,” in Glasgow, Scotland.

He said Nigeria faces various environmental challenges which are a result of climate change such as erosion, flooding, desertification, landslides among others.

Mr Musa said the direct impact of these challenges on gender is not properly addressed as women and children are the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change as the socio-economic impacts are not gender neutral.

“In implementing the Paris Agreement and Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the Conference of Parties (COP23), adopted a Gender Action Plan, which would be integrated into Parties Climate Promise i.e. the Paris Agreement. For a more holistic climate action, it is important that Nigeria has a unified voice on gender and climate change issues. Hence the plan on gender and climate change”  the Permanent Secretary explained.

Gender mainstream

In domesticating the Gender Action Plan, the Permanent Secretary said the Nigerian government has developed a National Action Plan on gender and climate change with the goal to ensure that national climate change processes in Nigeria mainstream gender considerations to guarantee inclusivity of all demographics in the formulation and implementation of climate change initiatives, programs and policies.

“The priority sectors covered by this Action Plan includes Agriculture, Forestry and Land Use, Food Security, Health, Energy, Transport, Waste Management, Water and Sanitation.

“The Action Plan covers the period 2020-2025” Musa said.

The Permanent Secretary also highlighted some of the next steps and commitment of the government after the COP26.

“With the launch of the implementation strategy for the Action Plan after COP26, the Government will budget and release funds promptly to ensure the effective implementation of the Action Plan. This would enhance local communities’ women participation in Forestry and Agricultural sectors through capacity building of women and men in gender-sensitive planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of agricultural and forestry programs and projects.”

He stressed that “this will also ensure alternative livelihood opportunities for women affected by climate change in urban and rural settings, conduct livelihood training for women in the 6 (six) geo-political zones, to gain knowledge in energy technologies by enrolling women in energy technology training centres”.

According, to the Permanent Secretary, “the Action plan would also promote effective waste management practices in communities by building capacity of educational institutions (Primary, Secondary and Tertiary) on waste management. Development of gender-based programmes for Integrated Water Resources Management by mobilising women groups to establish nurseries and plant trees upstream to avoid dislodgement of sediments, soil erosion and improve water quality.”

Musa also added that a draft National Action Plan was developed as an output of the stakeholder engagement and a consultant was engaged afterwards to drive the process towards finalizing the documentation. In the course of developing the plan a literature review was carried out by the consultant, on the Action plans from some selected countries towards enriching the document.

In July 2016, the Federal Ministry of Environment, through the Department of Climate Change commenced the process of developing the gender action plan by organizing a stakeholder consultative workshop.

The workshop was organized to develop a common and unique voice on the issues of gender and climate change especially in preparation for entry into force of the Paris Agreement and implementation of Nigeria Intended Nationally Determined Contribution, INDC.

Emmanuel Ukoh