ACCRA, GHANA, 22 June 2026 — The Fostering Reforestation, Environmental Sustainability and Tourism in the Okyeman Area (FOREST Okyeman) project has received the 2026 Human Security Award, a prestigious global recognition presented by the Group of Friends of Human Security and supported by the United Nations Human Security Unit. The award honours United Nations programmes that have delivered exceptional results in improving the survival, livelihoods, and dignity of vulnerable populations through integrated, people-centred solutions.

The recognition places Ghana among a select group of countries whose development initiatives demonstrate how the human security approach can address complex and interconnected community challenges.

Speaking at the inaugural Human Security Awards ceremony, UNDP Ghana’s Forest Specialist, Ayirebi Frimpong, highlighted the transformative impact of the human security approach in addressing interconnected development challenges as he accepted the award on behalf of FOREST Okyeman.

“This recognition affirms the value of the human security approach in addressing complex development challenges. Through FOREST Okyeman, we worked with communities, traditional authorities and partners to address the root causes of environmental degradation while strengthening livelihoods, health, education and local governance. The result is a more resilient and empowered community that is better equipped to shape its own sustainable future,” he said.

Funded through the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security and implemented in the Akyem Abuakwa area of Ghana’s Eastern Region, the project addressed the interconnected impacts of forest degradation, environmental insecurity, health risks, food insecurity, education challenges, and livelihood vulnerabilities. Communities restored degraded landscapes through nursery enterprises, established local governance structures for natural resource management, strengthened environmental stewardship, and expanded opportunities for sustainable livelihoods. Community volunteers established 26 nursery enterprises and supported the production and planting of approximately 400,000 tree seedlings.

Led by UNDP in collaboration with UNICEF, WHO, UNEP, UN Volunteers, the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, the Okyeman Environment Foundation, A Rocha Ghana, the Forestry Commission, government institutions, traditional authorities, civil society organizations, local communities, and other partners, the project placed communities at the centre of decision-making while addressing environmental, economic, health, and governance challenges simultaneously.

“The Human Security Award recognises programmes that tackle complex challenges in an integrated and people-centered way, and FOREST Okyeman is a powerful example of this approach in action. Bringing together communities, traditional authorities, government institutions and development partners, the project has demonstrated how environmental restoration can strengthen livelihoods, build resilience and create opportunities for people. This recognition belongs to all those whose commitment and leadership made these achievements possible,” said Mr Niloy Banerjee, Resident Representative of UNDP Ghana.

Dr. Rose Mwebaza, Director and Regional Representative for Africa at UNEP, an implementing partner of the award-winning Forest Okyeman project, noted:

“It is through the alchemy of collaboration with national and local partners that the UN system transcends silos, fashioning integrated, people-centric interventions that do not merely respond to crises, but fortify the sinews of community resilience, safeguard the fragile fabric of livelihoods, and propel nations along the arduous yet imperative path towards sustainable development.”

The project also supported the establishment of the Atiwa West Community Resource Management Area (CREMA), bringing together eight communities bordering the Atewa Forest Reserve to manage and protect natural resources jointly. Through elected governance structures, fire volunteer squads, and strengthened community participation, residents gained a stronger voice in decisions affecting their environment and development.

FOREST Okyeman exemplified the human security approach by linking environmental restoration with improved livelihoods, stronger local governance, enhanced health and education outcomes, and long-term resilience. Rather than treating deforestation as an isolated environmental issue, the project addressed the social, economic, and institutional factors driving environmental degradation.

For the communities of Akyem Abuakwa, the award recognizes years of commitment, volunteerism, and collective action by community members, traditional leaders, women, youth groups, local institutions, and development partners to restore degraded landscapes, protect natural resources, and build a more sustainable future.

Commenting on the recognition, Kofi Gyimah Amoako-Gyimah, Executive Secretary of the Okyeman Environment Foundation, expressed appreciation to the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security for its support.

“This investment in human security demonstrates that sustainable development and just transitions are achieved when we are as mindful of the people as we are of the ecosystems on which they depend. The recognition of FOREST Okyeman through the Human Security Award reaffirms the importance of placing communities at the centre of efforts to restore the environment, strengthen livelihoods, and build resilience for future generations.”

The award also positions FOREST Okyeman as a model for addressing multidimensional development challenges through the human security approach. Its lessons are expected to inform similar initiatives across Africa and beyond, demonstrating how environmental conservation, community empowerment, and sustainable livelihoods can be advanced together for lasting impact.

The recognition further highlights Ghana’s growing role in advancing innovative approaches to sustainable development, climate resilience, and natural resource governance, showing how locally driven solutions supported by strong partnerships can deliver results with global relevance.