Sigra: The Strengthening Investment in Gender-Responsive Climate Adaptation (SIGRA) Project has conducted a three-day capacity-building workshop for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Women-led Organisations (WLOs), and selected partner Assemblies in Akatsi North and Anloga in the Volta Region.
According to Ghana News Agency, the workshop was organized in collaboration with Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) Ghana, Dream Hunt Ghana, and the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC). It is part of SIGRA's Regional CSO Workshop Series, which aims to review and integrate gender and climate change considerations into district Medium-Term Development Plans (MTDPs), budgets, and reporting cycles of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
The SIGRA project, implemented by Cowater International and funded by Global Affairs Canada, seeks to strengthen local governance and ensure development planning and budgeting processes are gender-responsive and climate adaptive. Participants in the workshop included representatives from CSOs, WLOs, and officials from the Planning, Budgeting, Gender, Environmental, and Spatial Planning departments of the VRCC and selected district assemblies.
Ms. Elham Mumuni, the Gender and CSO Advisor for the SIGRA Project, highlighted that the training aimed to integrate gender and climate adaptation issues into district planning and to bolster the capacity of CSOs to ensure that gender-responsive and climate-adaptive policies are implemented. She emphasized that plans and budgets should be gender-responsive, noting that women and vulnerable groups must be involved in consultation and accountability processes due to their unique needs and experiences with climate change.
Ms. Mumuni further noted that SIGRA's broader goal is to enhance the resilience of Ghanaian citizens, particularly women, girls, and vulnerable groups, by promoting inclusive and gender-responsive climate adaptation. This involves incorporating gender and climate adaptation priorities into development plans and ensuring they are adequately budgeted and effectively implemented.
Madam Melody Darkey, Executive Director of WiLDAF Ghana, shared that WiLDAF co-designed the SIGRA project with Cowater International, with a shared vision of prioritizing gender and climate adaptation issues at regional and sub-national levels. She emphasized enhancing the capacity of CSOs and women's rights organizations to engage meaningfully in district planning and budgeting processes, ensuring gender and climate priorities are reflected and funded.
Mrs. Portia Adu-Mensah from Dream Hunt Ghana focused on her organization's community-driven strategy under the SIGRA project, which aims to amplify women's voices and leadership in climate-related decision-making, particularly in Akatsi North and Anloga Districts. She highlighted the importance of building women's capacity to become storytellers and communicators, ensuring their views are integrated into climate solutions.
Madam Rita Antoinette Arko Dadzie of the Budget Unit, Akatsi North District Assembly, expressed appreciation for the workshop, describing it as timely and practical. She stated that they learned how to integrate gender-sensitive and climate-resilient measures into their medium-term development plans and budgets, emphasizing the importance of involving women and CSOs at every stage of the planning process.
The SIGRA project continues to empower district assemblies, CSOs, and WLOs to create inclusive, equitable, and climate-resilient communities throughout the Volta Region.
