Story, Louvier Kindo Tombe
The workshop is taking place at the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and is organised by the Youth and Land Multi-stakeholder Platform in Africa (YLMPA).
“We can’t address climate change and leave land rights behind,” says Laureen Ongessa, co-chair of the steering committee of YLMPA.
Coming in from Kenya, Laureen Ongessa, told her peers that “we hold the solutions to climate issues, and that’s why we are here today to actively take part in the solution making process”.
Participants at the forum are coming from Senegal, Togo, Malawi, Kenya, Benin, and Cameroon.
The 3 days forum that ends on March 22, is holding on the theme “Importance of youth centered land governance in climate related conversations”.
“At the end of the workshop, we would propose a common position paper on the place of youth in land rights in Africa,” Laureen said.
Speaking through video-conference, Yidamno-Anton, from Landessa, Africa team, said “to adequately address the issues of climate, we must adopt an intergenerational approach”.
The forum was officially opened by Madam Clarisse Kamgang from the Ministry of Survey, Land Tenure and State Properties (MinDCAF), representative of minister Eyebe Ayissi Henri.
“Access of youth to land cannot be more important within the context of climate change,” she said.
“Legally in Cameroon, there is no youth discrimination on access to land. The issue is cost and administrative bottleneck. Reform is only to facilitate the process. MinDCAF is readily available to support this cause which is laudable.”
In a keynote address at the forum, Prof BRING, reflected on the take home message from COP28.
“The first preoccupation was to maintain the situation as it is, at the moment,” Prof BRING said.
The forum is organized with support from the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Youth Initiative for land in Africa – YILAA, International Lab Coalition – ILC Africa, and Young Volunteers for the Environment (YVE) Cameroon.
“Youth come together will contribute immensely in achieving climate solutions,” says Madam Nina NETZER, Representative of FES Foundation.
The contribution of YVE Cameroon to the success of the forum cannot be over emphasized. The organization is a Cameroonian non-profit organization active on defense of environment and interests of local communities. It’s mission is to educate youth for their involvement in the decision making process. They promote sustainable development and fight for social justice for all. YVE Cameroon was created in March 2012 in Bafia a local community near from Yaounde. YVE is an excellence center of Research and Action for Sustainable Development.
Understanding YLMPA
The platform started in 2022.
“We discovered that most youths and youth groups were operating independently, handling climate and land issues, so we thought it wise to bring them together. That is how the discussion started,” Innocent Houedji, Yilaa coordinator said.
The platform is trying look at, and resolve the issue of low level of land information among youths, advocate on land issues, and act as a strong synergy between climate and land actors.
The platform is calling for proper political commitments by governments.
