The United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) major groups’ workshop was held in Accra Ghana from 26th to 30th July 2010 under the theme “Applying Sustainable Forest Management to Poverty Reduction”. This event is a unique opportunity for Major Groups to come together to provide input and recommendations for UNFF 9, discuss key issues regarding participation in UNFF, and to begin planning for the International Year of the Forest.

There are 9 major groups within the UNFF that includes Forest workers and trade unions, youth and children, women, indigenous peoples, NGOs, Local authorities, Business and industry, science and technological communities, and the farmers.

BWI delegation composed by Paul Opanga, Abdoul Karim Ouedraogo, Joe Macharia, Oloka Mesilamu from Uganda, Joshua Ansah from Ghana and Pelelo from South Africa represents the forest workers and trade unions at this forum of major groups.

The workshop on major groups-led initiative in support of UNFF was held under the theme: “ Applying sustainable forest management to poverty reduction, strengthening the multi-stakeholder approach within the UNFF”. It was opened by the Ghana’s deputy minister of Lands and natural resources honorable Henry Ford Kakmel assisted by the chargé d’Affaire of Canadian Embassy in Ghana Michael Gort and the Director of UNFF Ms Jan McAlpine.

The Major groups had discussions in working groups followed by plenary sessions focusing on effectiveness of major groups’ participation in the UNFF on effective representation in multi-stakeholder dialogue (MSD) and engagement of major groups between UNFF sessions. The BWI delegates have shared with the other Major Groups the decent work agenda in the forestry sector and good practices undertaken in community forestry and sustainable forest management.
Participants from all over the world were attending the forum to discuss leadership role of different actors including women in forest management, how sustainable forest management would improve livelihoods of forests dependent-people as well as make recommendations to inform various governments attending and celebrating the International Year of Forest (IYF) in 2011. The launching is scheduled for New York and celebration worldwide with various programmes and activities in all 192 countries within the UN systems.

Each major group has presented its work plan and activities to be undertaken during the International year of forests. The BWI presented a tentative work plan that include tree planting campaigns in different countries like Burkina, Uganda, Kenya, Mali and Ghana, workplace greening activities, the Decent work agenda activities and campaigns, material development, networking, educational seminar, regional conference on sustainable forest management.