REPORT OF PARTICIPATING AT THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT UNCSD, RIO+20 IN RIO DE JANEIRO, BRASIL BETWEEN 10TH AND 23RD JUNE, 2012.

BACKGROUND The Rio+20 Conference are an international summit, which seeks to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, hosted the first Earth Summit in 1992 and again hosted the 2012 summit (20 years later) which is why it is referred to as Rio +20. Oxfam International Youth Partnership (OIYP) is an initiative of Oxfam International, managed by Oxfam Australia that mobilises a global network of young leaders from around the world to bring about positive and sustainable change in their communities. It does this through supporting young people to advocate for their rights and those of their communities; supporting youth led initiatives and facilitating skills and capacity building programs INTRODUCTION TITILOLA KAZEEM from Centre for 21st century Issues Lagos, Nigeria, was selected by OIYP to join other fourteen inspiring young leaders from around the world, who are committed to targeting issues related to Food Justice (which encompass issues such as Gender, Small Scale Farmers, Climate Change, Land/Water Grabs and Price Volatility) as representatives of the Oxfam International Youth Partnership Program (OIYP) Rio+20 Youth Delegation to attend the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) from June 11th – 23rd, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As one of the members of the OIYP Rio+20 youth delegation, l participated in a 6 week E Workshop from April 23rd – June 3rd, as well as the 3-day Workshop while in Rio de Janerio, in addition to the Conference and Side Events. This face-to-face workshop supported me to attend the Rio+20 Conference, by addressing the following specific objectives: • Support Action Partners to have a voice in global decision making forums on issues related to food justice and sustainable development • Support Action Partners to develop strategic relationships that lead to the development of networks and coalitions that will assist Action Partners in addressing food justice issues that impact their community • Support Action Partners to develop the knowledge and skills that will enable them to effectively engage in RIO+20 and its related events • Enable Oxfam to provide a youth voice on global food justice issues ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT AT THE CONFERENCE • OIYP RIO +20 workshop • Youth blasts • Side events- youth fixing the broken food system through gender and climate change. • People`s summits • International women`s day march • Elders and younger`s meeting • UNCSD • Media appearances • Echoes from Rio OIYP RIO+20 Workshops: The OIYP RIO +20 workshop which took place between 11th- 15th June, 2012 at was facilitated by a team of people and organisations with diverse experiences working on food justices: Andre Frankovits- a Researcher, Kate Raworth- Oxfam GB Researcher, Tricia O`Rouke – Oxfam International Economic Justice Media Coordinator, Pedro of the elders and younger`s team, Simon of Oxfam brazil and host of others. The workshop was an interactive one which helped built my knowledge, experience and capacity on various topics ranging from the UN systems and processes, the Universal declaration of human rights, UN declaration on rights of the indigenous peoples, safe and just space for humanity, women and the right to food, media, advocacy and lobbying, community engagement etc. Youth blasts The youth blasts which was also refer to as conference of youth for RIO+20 was organized to strategise and mobilize young people for, during and after Rio+20. This even took place between 7th -12 June, 2012 at SulAmerica Convention Centre in Rio de Janeiro. The international segment of the youth blast took place between 10th -12th as the first two days was reserved only for Brazillian youth only. I participated in the closing ceremony of the youth blast which was on the 12th as the OIYP youth delegation also had a presentation on that that on the theme “Youth advocate for a just and sustainable food system at Rio+20”, here, i shared the implementation strategies to create a just and sustainable global food system through our work in our community in the context of climate change as related to broken food justice. SIDE EVENTs Not only do I participated in both official and unofficial side events at the Riocentro in Rio de janeiro but also facilitated a side events alongside other action partners at the Riocentro, the people `s summit and at the Sulamerica Convention centre respectively. Presenting at the youth blasts side events presenting at a side event in the people`s summit Titilola and Muhammed Yunus People`s summit The people`s summit was pulled together by the Brazillian groups and is being attended by social movements, indigenous peoples, activists and organization from all over the world who are coming together to identify real solutions to the multiple and rising crises we face as human on planet earth. At the people`s summit, i Was able to relate my community story as to the broken food system and also participate in the International women`s day march to ensure that women`s voice were heard. Titilola and Oxfam crew at the International Women`s day march Elder`s and younger`s meeting Meeting with the elders and the younger`s on the 17th June, 2012 was a platform to share experience and expectations of the conference and also to form alliance of young people and elders working together mutually to create change. We were also able to put forward our community voices through the elders to the negotiation. Echoes from Rio Echoes from Rio is an initiative of Zero Carbon Africa, which is staged to broadcast and inform young people across Africa who cannot make it to Rio+20 through the hosting of an online radio for the situation development throughout the whole sessions of the summit. Being a member of the Zero carbon Africa, i was saddled with the responsibility of taking interview of African delegates, African youths as well as prospective participants. Titilola interviewing the chief negotiator for Nigeria, Mr. Aniedu Osita Titilola and the Zero carbon Africa after an interview with the media personnel from Nigeria. Media appearances You can check on the following link to see more of articles, interview, picture and videos of the above activities http://ipsnews.net/2012/06/youth-farmers-have-great-needs-and-low-expectations-from-rio20/ http://enews.oxfam.org.au/rp//1237/process.clsp? http://oiyp.oxfam.org.au/action-partners/rio20-conference-2012

FORCED EVICTION AND ARBITRARY DEMOLITION OF HUMAN SETTLEMENT IN NIGERIA

There have been several forceful evictions in Nigeria through demolition of human settlements in different parts of the country both by the federal and state authorities respectively. Communities affected by the most recent instances of demolitions include those in the waterside in Port Harcourt, Rivers, State; Mpape in the Federal Capital Territory; and Makoko in the Lagos waterfront. Cumulatively, the numbers of people estimated to be affected are said to be in the hundreds of thousands or more. The Makoko forceful evictions drew my attention to writing on this piece for the sake of interventions from young people, concerned authorities and the international community at large. Makoko community according to a resident, it has been in existence for more than 100 years and the people have been living in these shanties for these long years. The demolition which takes violent dimension commenced on Monday 16th July, 2012 after barely 72 hours short quit notice had one shot dead and many wounded. Over 30,000 people including women, children and the elderly have lost their homes. These evictees are further endangered as many of them are now forced to live and sleep in their canoes not only do they lost their homes, their livelihoods were also truncated as 99% of these people are involved in catching and selling fish. According to Social and Economic Rights Centre (SERAC), is currently investigating reports of a drowning of 3 children from a family when their boat capsized as they slept during the night on Wednesday two days after demolition takes place. Picture Credit; Muritala Ayinla of National Mirror Newspaper. MAKOKO COMMUNITY BEFORE DEMOLITION In the case of Makoko, as gathered from the community there have been allegations that due process was not followed; that there was no adequate notice to the affected community; that there was no thought given to the provision of alternative accommodation or resettlement of the affected community. The government explained that the exercise was carried out as said by the commissioner for water front and infrastructure Development, Prince Adesegun Oniru, while addressing the journalists at the state house that “the decision to pull down structures erected on the makoko water front was to avert danger lurking around the residents, owing to the negative impact of the climate change”. He also explained that “the rise in the water level, persistent thunderstorm, occasioned by the climate change and the electrical pilot across the shanties are posing serious threats to the lives of the habitants”. He concluded that “ the reason for our action is to clear the environment and the entire vicinity of the danger that is looming in that area as the state is experiencing rise in water level and heavy rainfall as a result of global warming. “. Yes, governments action was in no doubt, well-intended, having regard to the climatic and environmental danger to which the community had been exposed but the government should have been more compassionate and humanitarian in evacuating the people from their community by providing an alternative settlement for the people the absence of which naturally aggravated the pain and discomfort of the evacuation process. Shelter is both a human needs and a basic right as guaranteed in section 16(2,d) of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria, “mandates government to ensure that suitable and adequate shelters ..... are provided for all citizens.” Also guaranteed under the international covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the African Charter on Human and People`s Right both of which have been voluntarily accepted by Nigeria and are binding on public institutions and government in Nigeria. There have been several calls to action on this matter as regards to human rights, the people of the community made a peaceful protest to the state house for governments intervention, journalists have been writing articles and human rights activists have also write and release press statement in this regard. I therefore, call on the international community including the youth to amplify the voices of these indigenous and marginalize people to ensure justice is done. KAZEEM AISHA TITILOLA ACTION PARTNER, NIGERIA.