A two-day workshop aimed at enhancing the capacity of selected Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and District Assemblies to integrate gender-responsive approaches in climate change adaptation has concluded.

Organised by Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) Ghana in collaboration with Cowater and the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC), the workshop was held under the Strengthening Investments in Gender-Responsive Climate Change Adaptation (SIGRA) project, sponsored by Global Affairs Canada over five years.

The workshop brought together representatives from various CSOs and two district assemblies within the Volta Region.

The primary objective was to increase awareness and understanding of the intersection between gender and climate change adaptation.

It also aimed to equip participants with knowledge of the planning and budgeting processes of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and emphasize the importance of integrating gender-responsive and climate change adaptation strategies into their plans and budgets.

Melody Darkey, the National Programme Coordinator for WiLDAF Ghana, highlighted the significance of the workshop as part of the broader SIGRA project activities.

"The idea is to acquaint NGOs, CSOs, and Women’s Rights Organizations from the selected districts with the concept of gender and its interaction with climate change adaptation,"
she explained.

"We aim to address the inequities that arise from the nexus between gender and climate change issues."

Darkey also noted the use of a checklist adapted from the National Development Planning Commission.
This tool will help assess the current plans of district assemblies for the 2022-2025 planning cycle to determine their responsiveness to climate change adaptation and gender issues.

"We hope to work with the MMDAs to identify gaps in these plans and provide technical support for engagements," she added.

Madame Elhan Mumuni, Advisor on Gender and CSOs with Cowater Ghana, emphasized the ultimate goal of the SIGRA project: "To strengthen the resilience of Ghanaian citizens, particularly women, girls, and vulnerable groups, through increased investment in inclusive and gender-responsive climate adaptation initiatives."

Expressing her enthusiasm for the project, Madame Thywill Eyra Kpe, the Volta Regional Director of the Department of Gender, highlighted the importance of the Volta Region's participation in the SIGRA project.

She committed to ensuring that officers implementing the program collect gender-disaggregated data to guarantee that the project reaches its intended population.

The workshop marks a step towards fostering a more inclusive approach to climate change adaptation planning and budgeting in the Volta Region, reflecting a growing recognition of the critical interplay between gender and climate resilience.