Macpherson C. Marbiah writes/0886442881-0777250370
Actionaid Liberia in collaboration with partners, has commenced a two-day capacity-building engagement to establish a technical team.
The team is on Gender, Youth and Children Working Group on Climate Change and Environment (GYWG-CCE). The aim is to preserve the environment and Liberia’s climate future.
The program was held under the theme: “Understanding the Vision and the Framework of Working Group.”
It marks the beginning of a share commitment towards a sustainable environment. As a technical working body, they are expected to bring on board their innovation, and a way forward to preserve the environment.
The two days technical training was organized by Actionaid in collaboration with United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Women, Medica Liberia, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ministries of Youth and Sports (MYS), Gender Children and Social Protection (MGCSP), and the Liberian Youth for Climate Action.
At the start of the event on Thursday, October 16, 2025, UNDP Programme Coordinator, Abraham T. Tumbey, Jr. said the initiative marks more than a launch of a technical platform.
Tumbey said it is the beginning of a share journey where the voices of women, youth and children are not only heard, but placed at the center of shipping Liberia’s climate environmental future.
“The formation of the technical working group is both timely, and transformative, especially at a time wherein Liberia has just submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 3.O.,” added Tumbey.
The move has recommitted Liberia’s ambition towards the Paris Agreement, thereby setting the right direction for the country climate agenda.
“Climate change does not affect all communities and population equally; women and girls are often at the focus of the climate challenge. The youth who are our future leaders are often left wondering in a world that they did not create, but must now repaired,” he said.
Children, who are the most vulnerable, face risk due to their health, education and safety as climate impact intensify. We believe that this group brings together a coalition of hope, better and resilient future.
Tumbey said government institutions, civil society, academia, and development partners should unite by a common purpose to ensure that climate action is inclusive, equitable and just.
“For us at UNDP, we remain very proud to collaborate with UN Women, Actionaid, Medica Liberia and all of the other partners to support this working group through technical assistance, policy dialogue and capacity building. It is a great pleasure to represent UNDP at this initiative on Gender, Youth and Children Working Group on Climate Change and Environment (GYWG-CCE),” he said.
Actionaid Climate Justice and Humanitarian Response Inspector, Ezekiel Nyanfor, expressed his pleasing gratitude to provide support towards the formulation of the technical working group.
Nyanfor underscored the importance of Actionaid, women and youth involvement in climate governance as an institution; that is why they have embraced the idea of working with governmental institutions and civil society organizations to ensure that the NDC 3.O that focuses on women and children are fully implemented.
“We will provide all of the necessary support, both financial and technical through our strategic partnership with UN Women and UNDP, and all CSOs in Liberia to ensure that this initiative is fully implemented,” he said.
UN Women National Feminist/Economist, Dr. John S. Smith said working with government and other partners, they were very successful to have the final launch of the NDC 3.O
Nyanfor recalled how lots of promises were made in the document through the collective support of all of the stakeholders and the government to deliver on climate action for young people, women and their participation in those processes.
This working group is a very good platform in ensuring how young people form part of the process leading to the implementation of the NDC 3.O.
“On behalf of UN Women, we thank all of you for this effort. This forum is just the beginning point; we will have many of such time. We will formulate the terms of reference and see how it can be expended,” he said.
Counselor Yah V. Parwon, on behalf of Medica Liberia, commended the organizers for the initiative.