$16 million for climate and feminist action in West Africa

At COP15 in Montreal (December 7-19), the Government of Canada announced funding for the Feminist Climate Action in West Africa project, led in partnership by Inter Pares and SUCO. 

The project aims to amplify community responses to climate adaptation by strengthening the participation of rural women and youth in local biodiversity governance and climate action in Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal and Togo. Canada’s $16 million contribution will strengthen agroecological practices and ecosystem rehabilitation while improving the economic empowerment of women and local communities using appropriate technologies and local marketing.

“This announcement is timely. The Feminist Climate Action in West Africa project will respond to specific issues of gender equality and climate justice that have emerged from Inter Pares' work with its West African counterparts on local governance of natural resources, women's rights and the promotion of agroecology,” says Fernande Abanda, Africa Program Manager at Inter Pares.

Geneviève Talbot, West Africa Program Officer at SUCO underlines the importance of this project and says: "We are very pleased with this announcement, which mobilizes our expertise acquired during our collaborations with local populations. Climate and feminist issues are at the heart of our action and we have a network of partners who have long been committed to these issues in West Africa. This partnership with Inter Pares is an opportunity to combine our strengths to better support our partners in adapting to climate change."

The different phases of the project will run until 2026 and include the design and implementation of ecosystem management and development plans, support for the strengthening of climate-resilient agroecological practices, as well as the installation of nurseries and the reforestation of coastal ecosystems.