1. Reviving the Beauty of Guinea
I was born in Guinea, a country with enormous natural resources, called
the “Pearl of Africa.” As a child, I played in the fields with trees called
“flamboyant.” Because of these trees, my country was described by navigators
as “the best destination on the west Atlantic ocean.” In recent decades,
Guinea has become a role model for Africa in terms of environmental
and gender issues. Women made early social progress in the country,
and the world’s first female UN Security Council president was Guinean
woman Jeanne Martin Cissé. On the environment side, our country has
led biodiversity protection measures and developed policies to sustainably
manage its abundant natural resources, inspiring other African countries.
Unfortunately, as I grew up, Guinea’s beauty gradually disappeared.
Forests were destroyed by mining activities, cities lost control of waste
management, and women’s rights continued to be undermined.
Deforestation impacts women who live off these forest resources. When
rivers dry up, women are forced to walk miles to find clean water. Some
are even forced to move to other lands. This may lead to community
conflicts and women being put in dangerous mining jobs, becoming
victims of rape and prostitution.
I became interested in climate justice and human rights to make a change,
and at the age of 27 launched two projects. FemmeVision2030 promotes
women’s leadership and human rights. The other, #SelfieDéchets, aims to
raise awareness of sustainable waste management through selfies on
social media. Activities were added to reach more people, including
investigations, advocacy campaigns, sanitation programs at beaches and
public spaces, and awareness sessions in schools and on radio and TV.
#SelfieDéchets has inspired global youth organizations and has received
coverage in most of the world’s major media outlets. It has also been the
subject of case studies in universities worldwide.
I believe that better citizen involvement in development policies will lead
to sustainable and resilient communities, greater transparency in resource
management, and better enforcement of laws, especially for environmental
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2. preservation. Environmental degradation and climate change are human
rights issues. I hope to see more young people become involved in the
fight against these issues. And I dream that my country will once again be
the “Pearl of Africa.”
Fatoumata Chérif
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