BY NOXOLO DLAMINI
PIGG’S PEAK- Young people in the Hhohho Region are set to have their voices heard on climate change and environmental challenges as the Local Conference of Youth (LCOY) Eswatini 2026 brings its regional engagement to Hhohho on 13 August 2026.
The Hhohho Regional LCOY Convening is being held under the theme “Building Sustainable Futures: Harnessing Youth-Led Climate Action in Eswatini.”The initiative seeks to create a platform where young people can share their experiences, ideas and proposed solutions to climate and community development challenges.
The regional convening forms part of a wider LCOY Eswatini 2026 process aimed at taking climate discussions beyond national-level platforms and directly engaging young people in communities across the country.
Climate change is increasingly affecting communities through changing weather patterns, water-related challenges, pressure on agriculture and other environmental impacts. Giving young people an opportunity to discuss these issues is important because they are among the generations that will experience the long-term consequences of today’s environmental decisions.
The organisers say the regional engagements are intended to ensure that young people’s experiences and proposed solutions contribute to the national youth climate outcome. Hlumisa Youth Climate Network describes itself as a grassroots, youth-focused climate network working to strengthen youth participation in climate advocacy, policy discussions and sustainability initiatives in Eswatini.
The Hhohho meeting follows similar regional engagements. LCOY activities have already reached the Manzini Region on 30 July and Shiselweni Region on 6 August, with Hhohho identified as the next stop on 13 August.
A major strength of the LCOY process is its emphasis on allowing young people to contribute to climate discussions before national and international processes take place.
The programme is connected to the broader YOUNGO youth constituency of the UN climate process. A United Nations event listing also shows a regional youth engagement session linked to LCOY scheduled for 13 August 2026, highlighting the connection between local youth participation and the wider UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
This means that discussions held at regional level can help young people understand climate policy while also giving them an opportunity to articulate the challenges faced in their own communities.
Water is expected to remain an important part of the broader climate conversation. Eswatini Youth in Water (EYIW), one of the organisations involved in LCOY 2026, has been promoting youth participation in sustainable water management and climate action.
For Hhohho communities, such discussions can be particularly relevant given the importance of water resources to households, agriculture, livestock, ecosystems and economic activities.
The Hhohho Regional Convening therefore presents an opportunity for young people from different backgrounds—including students, farmers, entrepreneurs, creatives, climate advocates and community activist—to bring their experiences to the table.
Rather than viewing young people only as beneficiaries of climate programmes, LCOY seeks to position them as contributors, advocates and leaders in climate action.
Participants can use the platform to raise issues affecting their communities, propose practical solutions and identify opportunities for youth-led environmental initiatives.
With the Hhohho engagement scheduled for 13 August 2026, interested young people are encouraged to use the application information provided by the organisers on the event poster to register and participate.
The bigger message from the LCOY process is clear: climate action is not only a government or international responsibility—it is also a community responsibility, and young people have an important role in shaping Eswatini’s sustainable future.
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(Courtesy Pic)
