The Strengthening Investments in Gender Responsive Adaptation (SIGRA) project, a transformative initiative aimed at advancing climate action and inclusive governance in Ghana, held a three-day workshop to train Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the Volta Regional Coordinating Councils.
The event, which took place at the Sky Plus Hotel in Klefe, a suburb of Ho, the Volta Regional Capital, was a crucial training workshop under the SIGRA project. This initiative, supported by Global Affairs Canada, aimed to enhance gender-responsive planning and budgeting for climate adaptation.
The workshop convened 40 participants from the Volta Regional Coordinating Councils, along with representatives from SIGRA partner Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs), and key women-led Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). The three-day event included participants primarily comprising budget and planning officers from the Ho Municipal Assembly, Ho West, Adaklu, and Sogakofe districts, as well as directors of key institutions like the Environmental Protection Agency, Agric Office, and the Gender and Social Protection Agency.
The training focused on increasing awareness of gender-responsive budgeting, strengthening skills for integrating gender considerations into climate adaptation initiatives, and promoting inclusivity in decision-making processes.
Participants engaged in practical exercises, including role plays and data analysis, to build competencies in gender analysis and develop effective, gender-sensitive performance indicators. The training also addressed improving reporting practices to enhance transparency and accountability in climate adaptation efforts.
The SIGRA project will continue to support these regional stakeholders with ongoing technical advice and further workshops. This training marks a significant advancement in integrating gender perspectives into Ghana’s climate adaptation strategies, aiming to bolster resilience among women and vulnerable communities.
In an interview, the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Mr. Hope Smith Lomotey, explained that climate change disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, including physically challenged people and women, as they often rely on natural resources like water from bodies and firewood collection. However, gender is not limited to women but includes boys, girls, women, and men. Therefore, it is essential that any marginalized group receives the attention they deserve in budget planning processes.
One of the participants, Belinda Emefa Degue, the district budget analyst for the Ho-West district, mentioned in an interview that the training broadened her knowledge on budget planning, particularly in tailoring budgets toward gender inclusivity to achieve their intended purposes.
The Volta Regional Director for Gender and Social Protection, Madam Thywill Kpe, urged participants at the end of the event to apply the knowledge they gained during the workshop so that when the team returns for monitoring, the impact of the workshop will be evident in their work.
By Desmond Tiana