By Politico staff writer
As the rainy season draws closer, the Sierra Leone Environmental Film Summit will today be screening a new documentary featuring the plight of the women of Freetown during natural disasters such as flooding at the Sierra Leone Environmental Film Summit.
The film titled “Freetown’s Flood Fighters: Women’s Resilience on the Frontline” according to the producers spotlights the resilience, organisation, and actions of local women, as they grapple with the impacts of climate change in Sierra Leone.
The Sierra Leone Environmental Film Summit, on 26th April 2024, according to a press statement by the organisers will be attended by the women featured in the film and Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Freetown’s Mayor whose priorities include tackling climate resilience and environmental degradation.
The Freetown Mayor was quoted in the press statement saying: “Lethal landslides, coastal erosion, annual flooding, and extreme heat; Freetown has them all. Our communities have the knowledge and determination required to address these impacts, but they can’t do it alone. As part of our Climate Action Plan, the Freetown City Council has partnered with local communities on many different initiatives - from tree planting to climate resilience to water security, and much more. But, as a collective, we need further support in order to keep building on the incredible progress made so far.”
One in five people in Sierra Leone has experienced flood-related disasters in the last 5 years, according to the Lloyd's Register Foundation World Risk Poll. “Women in Freetown’s hilltop, hillside, and coastal areas are among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. However, in the face of floods, fire, and landslides – women are playing a leading role in responding and protecting their communities,” the statement reads in part.
The summit will also include screenings of other short films, speeches, a panel discussion, and an artistic performance.
Sierra Leone is the 18th most climate-vulnerable country in the world, according to the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index. It ranks 92nd out of 111 countries on the Lloyd’s Register Foundation Resilience Index, which measures the capacity to cope with and recover from climate-related and other shocks.
In 2017, a devastating landslide and floods affected more than 6,000 people and killed more than 1,000.
After the disaster, the government created a new Ministry of Environment and Climate Change responsible for environmental protection and climate adaptation, and a National Disaster Management Agency to offer humanitarian assistance to disaster victims.
In addition to issues associated with flooding, Freetown is vulnerable to extreme heat.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (26/04/24)
