Gambiaj.com – (Banjul, the Gambia)- The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Department of Community Development (DCD), Civil Society partners, Green-Up Gambia, and Peace Network working on climate change and peacebuilding respectively, concluded a series of community engagement dialogues and activities, including tree planting exercises in 10 communities across Lower River, Central River and North Bank regions.
This comes following the recommendations of the United Nations Secretary General’s report on peacebuilding and sustaining peace.
The activities followed community-based approaches, with core focus on building partnerships for peacebuilding, sustaining peace and conflict prevention.
The activities created opportunities for community members especially youth, women and influential leaders to engage in meaningful dialogue on how climate change acts as a threat multiplier, exacerbating underlying vulnerabilities and compounding existing grievances.
Through enhanced mutual understanding among members on the subject and replenishing forest cover, the activities were able to contribute towards strengthening community resilience.
“In line with the Institutional Strategy on Migration, Environment and Climate Change 2021-2023, IOM is committed to putting vulnerable people at the center of its respoGambia’snses on climate security,” Sibgha Ajaz, IOM The Officer-in-Charge said.
Ms. Ajax, said strong community engagement to address drivers of instability and conflict allows to ensure inclusivity, sustainability of efforts.
“Interventions are carried out in a manner that resonates with the cultural landscape of communities,” she added.
As The Gambia navigates the growing impact of climate change, environmental degradation, sporadic violent conflict and security challenges, IOM believes that collaborating with DCD and civil society in engaging communities is both ”timely and essential.”
The consequences of climate change are impacting all areas of human security including economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community and political, with a disproportionate impact on communities with existing vulnerabilities, including migrants, women and girls, children, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities and indigenous peoples.
The IOM therefore stated that the collaborative approach adopted in this initiative, bringing together government, community members, civil society and development partners, is hoped to advance efforts in the climate, peace and security nexus through shaping attitudes and behaviours positively towards environmental protection and preservation.
Ms. Golda Keng, PBF Programme Coordinator, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office believes that it is important to empower communities to be able to prevent, mitigate, and resolve land-related conflicts through building their capacity to dialogue, mediate and become active agents in conflict prevention and resolution, reducing the risks of escalation and fostering inclusive development.
“This approach aligns with PBF priorities for addressing root causes of conflict, strengthening local resilience, and reinforcing the legitimacy of governance structures critical for long-term peace,” she affirmed.
Loss of forest cover for human settlement, logging and other activities are huge contributors’ climate change, and even dispute, hence the importance of this activity planting more trees, initiating and promoting community dialogue on addressing climate change and peaceful co-existence in line with the Recovery Focused National Development Plan of The Gambia 2023-2027 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for The Gambia 2024-2028.
This community engagement initiative was conducted within framework of the Project: “Empowering Communities in The Gambia to Prevent, Mitigate and Resolve Land-related Conflicts Exacerbated by Climate Change”, implemented by FAO, WFP and IOM and funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF).
