QTV Gambian Youth Dialogue Award 2019, Women Championing Environmental Rights Award 2023
Fatou Jeng (born September 30, 1996, Banjul, The Gambia) is a Gambian youth climate activist.[1][2] She was named among the 30 most influential young Gambians of 2019.[3]
Personal life
Fatou Jeng was born on September 30, 1996 in Banjul in The Gambia.[2] She studied at the University of the Gambia, and was the first female president of the university's student union.[3][4][5] Jeng also graduated from the University of Sussex where she obtained a master's degree in environment, development, and policy, and was a recipient of the Chevening scholarship.[6]
She is married to Adama Njie and together they have a son, Muhammed A. Njie.
Activism
Jeng founded the youth lead and non-profit organization Clean Earth Gambia. The goal of the organization is to create awareness about issues concerning the environment, most importantly climate change. Her organization in partnership with UNICEF Gambia and the Government of the Gambia organized the first national children and youth conference on climate change producing a national climate engagement strategy. They work to teach and train more than 500 school children about climate change, plant over 30,000 trees, as well as address other environmental issues to local communities.[7][8][9]
In 2019, she was one of thirty people selected for the first ever UNFCC YOUNGO, the youth delegation to the Climate Negotiations.[10] At the United Nations convention she was a driving force for policy submission on gender and climate change as well as the policy operation lead for Women and Gender. Also in 2019, she helped facilitate youth engagement during Africa Climate week.[11]
She was the QTV Youth Dialogue Gambian Youth of the Month in June 2019 for her climate change advocacy,[12] and described by Whatson Gambia as one of the 30 most influential young Gambians.[3] The UN Country Office in her home country, the Gambia described her as a "trailblazing youth climate activist and a driving force for policy submissions on gender and climate change"[2]
"Women play fundamental roles in local food systems and are carers and activists, which make them uniquely placed to drive longer term climate resilience." Fatou's advocacy for gender inclusion in climate action was pivotal to UK £165 million funding to advance gender equality in climate action, which COP27's President Alok Sharma announced[13] in November 2021.
In 2021, She was recognized as one of the Top 100 Young African Conservation Leaders by the African Alliance of YMCAs, the African Wildlife Fund, and a collection of many more international non-profit organizations. She was also appointed a member of the Soft Power Bowl Club founded by former Deputy Prime Minister of Italy and has been featured in interviews by the UNFCCC,[15]BBC, and the DW.[16][17]
In March 2023, the United Nations' Secretary-General announced Fatou and 6 others[18] as members of his Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change to provide him with practical and outcome-focused advice, diverse youth perspectives and concrete recommendations, with a clear focus on accelerating the implementation of his climate action agenda. She sits in the Advisory Panel of the United Nations Early Warning System for All Initiative as the Youth Representative in the Panel [19]
