Plan Pacific in Partnership with Solomon Islands National Youth Congress (SINYC) signed a partnership agreement on Wednesday 31st August at SINYC.SINYC is the implementing partner for Plan Pacific’s project Girls Tekem Akson Lo Climate Change (GTACC).

The signing was witnessed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA) Dr Cedric Alependava and the director of youth and representatives from Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and Disaster Management (MECDM), ProvincialYouth Council of Malaita, Guadalcanal and Western Province, SINYC executives and the staff of Plan Pacific International Solomon Islands Program Unit.

Speaking during the event Dr Alependava says projects like this focus on two important areas that need our attention at times.‘Climate change is an issue that has impacted many lives. Young Girls and young women are also significant in our nation, and have faced many challenges over the years through our cultural norms that grow the gap in gender inequality,’ He said.

He also highlighted the fact that women vendors contributed more to the country and yet they are more or less marginalized.‘Thank you for this very important ceremony I’ve witnessed today, we can be able to help improve the lives of the girls and young women throughout our country,’ Dr Alependava said. National Youth Congress Chairman Aaron Olofia also emphasized on the confidence he has in ensuring that the congress will achieve GTACC’s goal.

“This is the first time SINYC is given a project of this magnitude, this is a partnership we hold dear and I believe it is part of the congress revitalization. Our confidence, effort and enthusiasm will propel this partnership further,”’ Mr Olofia said.

The GTACC Program Manager for the project says Climate change is said to be the most extreme human rights challenge; thus, a human rights-based approach is needed for solution. Tsatsa Seimarlie said We cannot solve this complex problem as long as our girls and youths who make 70% of our population have unequal access to education and decision-making bodies at all levels and are largely excluded be it local in the communities, the provincial level, or the national government with efforts to respond to this challenge.‘We need to think bigger, act quicker, and include everyone in this fight.’ She concluded.

The event concludes with the cutting of a cake whereby Dr Alependava acknowledged the collaboration and partnership that the project will bring and wished the team success in achieving the objectives of the program.Plan International (Pacific), through Plan International Solomon Islands (PISI), focused on implementing the ‘Girls Tekem Akson lo Climate Change’ the project will work to ensure that adolescent girls and youths have an important role in mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change. Promoting and enabling young people in leadership, and education will ensure greater climate justice and gender equality.Funded by GNO, the Partner Agreement between PLAN INTERNATIONAL PACIFIC through Plan Pacific International Solomon Islands Program Unit.

As part of the implementation, inception workshops were successfully held in the provinces. GTACC will run across three provinces in the Solomon Islands over the span of four and a half years.

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