Please be welcome to join our allies at the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) International for an exciting upcoming event in Marrakech, Morocco during the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP22 climate talks.

‘Women Leading Solutions on the Frontlines of Climate Change – Morocco’, to be held Monday November 14th from 13:00 to 17:30, will be an extraordinary gathering with worldwide women leaders joined in solidarity to speak out against environmental and social injustice, draw attention to root causes of the climate change crisis, and present the diverse array of visions and strategies with which they are working to shape a healthy and equitable world.

This event is organized with the conviction that real forward movement towards climate justice depends on the full and equal participation of women in all stages of decision making and implementation – and that real change will come from women mobilizing and taking action at the local, national, and international level.

Policy makers and international advocates will speak alongside grassroots, Indigenous and frontline women leaders from around the world, including some of our own HAF members (biographies below).

WHAT: Women Leading Solutions on the Frontlines of Climate Change – Morocco

WHEN: Monday November 14th, 2016 from 13:00 to 17:30

WHERE: Kenzi Farah Hotel (Avenue du Président Kennedy, Hervinage Marrakech 40000, Morocco)

HOW: Learn more and register to attend here. This event is FREE and open to the public.

WHO: HAF participants include: Amina El Hajjami (HAF Project Manager) and Rachida Outouchki (HAF Tamazight Representative) speaking; and Yamna Oulamine and Nejma Ait Mansour singing a traditional Tamazight song to open the event.

Amina was born in the Al Haouz Province near Marrakech. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in geography from Cadi Ayyad University of Marrakech in 2010. While studying she volunteered with associations in Marrakech and Al Haouz that were involved with local sustainable development. After graduating she worked with the association N’fis pour le Développement Economique et Social in the Al Haouz province for three years. While working with the association she received various certifications relating to her professional development. Amina speaks Arabic, French, and Berber.

Rachida is 39 years old, married with two boys and one girl. She lives in the village Takatert 2, located in the Ourika

commune, Al Haouz province. Currently, she’s the President of Aboghlo’s cooperative, she joined the cooperative since one year and 4 months. Her hopes are to expand the cooperative to benefit more rural women, she also believes in traditional organic products as they have been used since a longtime ago. As she also works in the Ourika tree nursery, she believes that it is very important to use natural organic fertilizers rather than chemical which will give a better fruit in the end for both people and the environment.

Nejma is 73 years old, married with three boys and four girls. She is from Takatert 2, located in the Ourika commune of the Al Haouz province. Nejma is illiterate, and also with a sick husband in the house. As a result of joining the Aboghlo Women’s Cooperative, she benefited greatly both economically and socially. Also, Nejma works in one of HAF’s organic nurseries in Ourika, where she thinks that using natural fertilizers is very important for plants and the environment.

Yamna is a 60-year-old widow with four daughters. Yamna is from the Takatert 2 village in the Ourika commune Ourika, Al Haouz province. Yamna was the one responsible to finance her family after her husband died. She thinks that being in Aboghlo Women’s Cooperative is affecting her positively from a socio-economical perspective. Yamna is always positive about the future of herself, her family and the cooperative, which gives positive vibes to all of the group. Moreover, Yamna as most of the women in the cooperative works in one of HAF’s organic nurseries, growing trees and medicinal plants without chemicals, and she is very proud of it.

See here to find out more about HAF’s efforts during the COP22.

We hope you will join the High Atlas Foundation and WECAN for this and other events!