This national consultation comes as part of the development of the White Paper on Youth, which will be forwarded to national and international policy makers, in view of the 21st edition of the Conference of Parties (COP 21). It makes shared diagnoses with joint proposals on the inclusion of youth and the role it can play in the governance of water and food security under climate change. The objective is to improve the integration of youth in the post-2015 agenda.
Officially launched by the Director of Cabinet of the Minister for Water, the workshop enfolded with i) the presentation of the project "the Francophone Youth for Water Works"; ii) the presentation of the issues of youth participation in addressing the challenges related to water and food security; iii) the presentation and validation of the report of the national consultation on the place of youth in the governance of water and food security; and iv) the presentation of the statement of the Young Beninese for the inclusion of youth in the governance of Water, Food Security and Climate Change.
Youth involvement in the governance of water and food security in the context of climate change is still in an embryonic stage in Benin. Policymakers have not yet identified the importance of an effective involvement of youth in these sectors and the youth do not get involved in the implementation of strategies and policies of the country.
Therefore, it was recommended among others the establishment of a fund to finance youth projects to reduce the effects of climate change and improve food security; the support and promotion of young people involved in the governance of water, food security and climate change; the inclusion of components related to youth when updating the policy and strategy documents; and finally the establishment of specific tools to facilitate the insertion of young people in water governance, food security and climate change.