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2016
Est 2009 Issue 47 - 2015
3 - 10 December 2015
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Cities summit pledges to help the poor
The African mayors also called on developed countries to help finance the cost of climate change mitigation in poor countries Johannesburg - Several African mayors, including Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau, and delegates at the seventh edition of Africities Summit have signed a pledge to address sustainable development, human-induced climate change, extreme poverty, modern slavery and human trafficking challenges confronting them. The pledge is part of the Declaration of the Mayors signed at the Pontifical Academies of Science at the Vatican on 21 July 2015. It was signed on Monday at the end of the modern slavery, human trafficking and climate change session on the second day of the five-day summit, hosted by the City of Joburg at the Sandton Convention Centre.
“The poor and excluded face dire threats from climate disruptions, including the frequency of droughts, extreme storms, heat waves and rising sea levels,” the declaration reads in part. “The world should take note that the COP21 Paris climate summit may be the last effective opportunity to negotiate arrangements that keep humaninduced warming below 2°C. “As mayors we commit ourselves to building, in our cities and urban settlements, the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure to climaterelated extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters, which foster hu-
Jean-Pierre Mbassi, Mayor Parks Tau and Mpho Nawa at the summit.
man trafficking and dangerous forced migration,” it says. “At the same time, we can commit to ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking and domestic servitude; and to develop national resettlement and reintegration programmes that avoid involuntary repatriation of trafficked persons. We want our cities and urban settlements to become ever more socially inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” The mayors also called on developed countries to help finance the cost of climate change mitigation in poor countries. The pledge was signed after Burun-
dian Nadia, 24, told the summit how she was trafficked, gang-raped and became a mother aged of 15. Anglican Bishop Thomas Seoka called on delegates to help put human trafficking and modern slavery to a stop. “Spread the word about slavery. Continuously challenge our leaders about this, they don’t know what’s going on on the ground because they live in ivory towers.” Johannesburg Mayor Tau said partnerships would help build links between cities and the people and encourage debate on the issues. He explained that the Africities summit would help build momentum
around slavery and human trafficking in African cities. “Slavery didn’t end at abolition. It exists in our cities and debate around this is important. South Africa and Africa have the appetite to tackle these challenges. African cities must assume responsibility and place slavery on the agenda.” Mayor Tau added that Ghana, where the NGO Challenging Heights was fighting child slavery, was the best case study. Dr Kate Danvers said about 190 000 people were trapped in forced labour and exploitation in Ghana, with more than 21 000 children engaged in “hazardous labour”.