Unifying Civil Society for Climate Justice: Strengthening Advocacy in Senegal

The AACJ project, in collaboration with Oxfam and implementing partners, has successfully influenced a significant change in Senegal. Civil society organizations (CSOs) have come together around the critical issues of climate justice, aiming to amplify their impact and advocate for meaningful environmental decisions. While this change represents a beginning, as only a portion of civil society has joined the movement, efforts will continue to deepen this transformation and ensure that the voice of civil society carries substantial weight in environmental decision-making processes in Senegal. This article analyzes the factors, actors, and outcomes that contributed to this change, emphasizing the significance of this shift and the organization’s plans for further engagement. 

Factors and Actors: The AACJ project and Oxfam played instrumental roles in driving this change by organizing a series of activities throughout January to December 2022. These activities aimed to connect CSOs working in the climate sector with organizations from other sectors, such as agriculture, fisheries, livestock, transportation, and industries, whose activities contribute to climate change adaptation or mitigation. Through these engagements, the vision of the AACJ project was shared, and priority topics for CSO advocacy, including NDC implementation, climate justice narratives, and loss and damage, were discussed. As a result, a roadmap was established for the formal constitution of a recognized platform for CSOs working on climate justice, and a project outline was drafted to guide the platform’s activities in the coming years. 

Contributions: The AACJ project and its partners made the following contributions to influence this change: 

1. Conducted a mapping of CSOs working on climate justice. 

1. Organized a networking and storytelling workshop, fostering connections and knowledge sharing among CSOs. 

1. Facilitated a CSO networking and capacity building workshop, enhancing the advocacy skills of participants. 

1. Organized two participatory drafting workshops focused on NDC advocacy, enabling CSOs to collaborate and develop joint positions. 

1. Prepared for a workshop to formally establish the CSO platform for climate justice (scheduled for 2023). 

Significance: The change in bringing CSOs together under the umbrella of climate justice is vital due to the dispersed nature of climate justice advocacy efforts in Senegal. Currently, there is no common framework for discussion and collaboration, hindering the credibility and impact of civil society on governments and citizens. Therefore, creating a mobilization and collaboration framework is crucial to maximize the collective power of civil society and advance climate justice. 

Follow-up Actions: The organization recognizes that the work towards this change is in its early stages. Plans are underway to convene a meeting to officially launch the CSO Platform for Climate Change. Building upon the progress achieved in Year 2, this platform will serve as a foundation for collaboration, coordination, and collective advocacy efforts among CSOs working on climate justice in Senegal. By strengthening the platform and expanding participation, the organization aims to consolidate the gains made and foster a robust civil society movement for climate justice. 

The AACJ project, along with Oxfam and implementing partners, has successfully fostered a sense of unity and collaboration among CSOs in Senegal, focusing on climate justice advocacy. This change signifies a crucial step towards amplifying the impact of civil society in environmental decision-making processes. By establishing a recognized platform and facilitating collective action, the organization strives to empower civil society, enhance their credibility, and drive meaningful change in addressing climate justice issues.