The Coastal Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Forum has held a workshop to enhance the implementation of the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Project, specifically its second phase (ResIP 2), which launched in August 2024.

The event, hosted in Aburi, brought together key stakeholders, including project coordinators, directors, and representatives from various CSOs.

In his welcome address, Ken Kinney, Chair of the Coastal CSOs Forum, emphasized the urgency of the workshop, expressing gratitude for the participants' swift response despite the short notice. He acknowledged the ongoing activities of implementing agencies and reiterated the importance of collaboration to meet the project's year-one delivery targets.

Kinney highlighted the integral role of civil society in ensuring that the WACA programme aligns with the needs of citizens. “The Coastal CSOs Forum is tasked with ensuring WACA’s responsiveness through transparency and accountability standards,” he stated. He stressed that this dual responsibility of CSOs and governmental agencies necessitates a participatory process to develop a compliance monitoring framework that embeds these principles.

Objectives of the Workshop

The workshop aimed to achieve several key objectives:

Understanding Mandates: Enable CSOs to appreciate the roles of WACA’s core implementing agencies.

Activity Overview: Provide insight into the planned activities and expected outcomes from the implementing agencies, including budget implications.

Implementation Timelines: Clarify the timelines for project execution.

Reporting Framework Consensus: Reach an agreement on a Transparency and Accountability Reporting framework for CSOs.

Kinney officially welcomed attendees to this critical interactive platform, which he noted is essential for feedback on the effectiveness and impact of project interventions.
Progress on WACA Implementation.

Noble Wadza, the WACA Project Coordinator, provided an update on the project’s progress since its launch. He detailed efforts to establish grassroots structures in the Volta and Greater Accra regions, emphasizing the importance of building relationships between CSOs and government agencies. “We are working to ensure a mutual understanding of objectives, milestones, and budgets,” he explained, underscoring the need for transparency in the implementation processes.

Gender Inclusivity Concerns

Despite the focus on collaboration, concerns regarding gender inclusivity emerged during the discussions. A participant raised the issue of the low representation of women at the workshop, noting that only five or six women attended compared to over fourteen men. The participant queried the plans to engage more women in the communities affected by the WACA project.

In response, Wadza affirmed the project's commitment to gender inclusivity, stating, “The WACA project appraisal document emphasizes gender inclusiveness as a core tenet of our activities.” He acknowledged the existing imbalance and outlined strategies to ensure that women’s participation is prioritized, particularly given the disproportionate impact of coastal resilience challenges on women.

The workshop underscored the collective responsibility of all stakeholders involved in the WACA project to enhance transparency and accountability while ensuring that gender inclusivity is integrated into every aspect of the project. As the project moves forward, the emphasis on collaboration between CSOs and governmental agencies will be crucial in achieving sustainable outcomes that benefit all citizens.

This workshop marks a significant step in building a strong foundation for the WACA project, aligning stakeholders towards common goals, and fostering a transparent and accountable environment for its successful implementation.