The Climate Awareness and Peace Education (CAPE) Project is a strategic initiative addressing climate action and peacebuilding in Ghana. With Ghana’s vulnerability to climate change increasingly growing (WBG, 2022), there’s a need for climate action by working with young people.
The CAPE Project focused on raising awareness and empowering the youth to take action against climate change and promote peace, especially in the run-up to the 2024 elections, while addressing SDGs 13 and 16.
Objectives:
- Enhance the understanding and involvement of Ghanaian youth in climate issues, linking them to real-life consequences such as agriculture, conflict, and cost of living.
- Equip youth in flood-prone areas with knowledge and skills to reduce disaster risks and take local action against climate-related hazards.
- Promote peace and security by educating youth on the connections between climate change and conflict, especially ahead of the 2024 elections.
Project Activities:
- Climate4Peace Campaign: Training and street action in Bolgatanga, Upper East region to highlight the nexus between Climate change and Peacebuilding. This campaign empowered about 500 young people to raise awareness on climate action and peace action ahead of the 2024 elections in Ghana.
- Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Education and Training for Mepe Youth: A two-day training session for about 200 youth to raise awareness and build capacity for local disaster risk management.
- Kokuromotie 4 Climate Arts & Photography Competition: An arts competition themed “Climate Action and Ghana Decides 2024” to raise climate awareness in the upcoming elections.
- Climate for Peace Dialogue: A dialogue between political aspirants and the youth of Ghana focusing on their commitments to supporting climate action during their tenure.
Target Population:
The project targeted Ghanaian youth aged 15-35, focusing on marginalised groups like women and girls, people with disability and specific activities tailored to those from climate-vulnerable regions.
Outcomes:
- Increased climate awareness and engagement among youth.
- Enhanced preparedness for disaster and resilience in target communities.
- Greater youth participation in the 2024 elections with a focus on climate and peace.
CAPE project was funded and supported by the Embassy of Denmark in Ghana and West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP).