UN Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Amina Mohammed’s message to the Africa Women and Children Conference (AfriWOCC) 2023 in Accra

The UN Deputy Secretary-General calls for ambitious and practical solutions with women and children at the center at AFRIWOCC 2023 in Accra.

It is a pleasure to speak to you today, and I am delighted to see women leading positive change across Africa.
I congratulate my sister, the second lady of Ghana, Her Excellency Samira Bawumia, for your commitment to the empowerment of African women.

Dear friends,
I commend your choice of theme for this Africa Women and Children’s Conference. Amplifying the voices of women and children affected by the climate crisis is essential, at a time when the Secretary-General has called for a quantum leap in climate action and the delivery of climate justice so that no one is left behind.

Africa suffers disproportionately from climate impacts, including floods, droughts and food insecurity. Protecting the lives and livelihoods of women and children in Africa from these impacts must be a priority.

Around 490 million children in 35 African countries are at the highest risk of suffering from the impacts of the climate crisis.

And climate impacts are felt most acutely and negatively by women.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, women constitute more than 60% of the agricultural work force and are responsible for 80% of food production. When climate shocks destroy or limit access to resources like water or seeds, their livelihoods are disrupted and threatened.

Dear friends,
Allow me to share three key reflections on the way forward.

First, let us leverage this important conference to foster, accelerate and scale up partnerships and collaboration. We need all stakeholders to unite around initiatives that reduce the impacts of the climate crisis on African women and children and create opportunities for them in the transition to renewable energy and climate resilience.

Second, as the Secretary-General has noted, we must remove the barriers that prevent developing economies from accessing finance and resources.

We need comprehensive reform of our outdated and dysfunctional international financial architecture to make it fit-for-purpose, and to enable the mobilization of private investment at scale.

Third, governance and decision-making at all levels must involve women and youth, and must prioritize the well-being of children.

Only with the equal leadership and participation of women will we see gender and children-responsive policies.

I hope you will be ambitious and identify practical solutions with women and children at the center.

Your discussions here should inform the upcoming Africa Climate Summit, and COP28 in Dubai.

The United Nations is your steadfast partner in working for high-impact climate action that unlocks the potential of women and protects children and the most vulnerable.

I wish you fruitful deliberations.