Samira Bawumia Rallies Africa’s Leaders to Empower Women and Youth in Climate Action at AFRIWOCC 2025
Accra, October 7, 2025 – The former Second Lady of Ghana and founder of the Africa Women and Children Conference (AFRIWOCC), Mrs. Samira Bawumia, has made a heartfelt appeal for the inclusion of women and young people in Africa’s response to pressing continental challenges, particularly climate change.
Delivering the keynote address at the 2025 edition of AFRIWOCC, held on Monday, October 6, 2025, at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, Mrs. Bawumia called on African leaders to honor their commitment to empower women and the youth as central actors in climate action and policy development.
“We must connect young voices and ideas to policy, financing and implementation to drive measurable impact and transformation across Africa,” she said.
Reiterating her message from the inaugural 2023 conference, Mrs. Bawumia reminded leaders of their pledge to make women and children integral to climate discussions and decision-making.
“Let us remember the promise we made in 2023 that women and children would no longer be peripheral voices in climate action. Let us now honor that promise by ensuring young Africans are the engine of innovation and impact,” she emphasized.
The event also featured remarks from the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, Her Excellency Myriam Montrat, who underscored the disproportionate impact of climate change on women, girls, and children across the continent.
According to the High Commissioner, between 2022 and 2024, extreme weather events affected the education of more than 400 million children, resulting in an average loss of 18 school days annually in developing countries—far above the 2.4 days lost in wealthier nations.
“Women and girls, particularly those who are socially excluded, bear the brunt of climate change impacts. Their caregiving roles and dependence on natural resources make them more vulnerable to environmental degradation, leading to time poverty and reduced access to education and economic opportunities,” she observed.
The 2025 AFRIWOCC, themed “Young Voices, Innovative Ideas, Greater Impact for Africa,” brings together over 500 delegates from government institutions, civil society, academia, development organizations, and climate-focused groups from across Africa and the diaspora.
This second edition builds on the success of the 2023 debut, which attracted high-level participation from African leaders and global partners. The conference will climax on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, with a climate concert featuring performances by Amandzeba, Rocky Dawuni, Bessa Simons, and other renowned artists.
In recognition of her continued advocacy for sustainable development, Mrs. Samira Bawumia was also reappointed as a Global Champion of the Clean Cooking Alliance, reaffirming her leadership in promoting clean energy solutions for African households.
Story by Eugene Kwasi Nyarko
