GENDER, WATER AND SANITATION WORKSHOP ENDS AT DROBO (PAGE 11, NOV 18, 2010)

Environment of Hope (EoHOPE), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based at Kato near Berekum in the Brong Ahafo Region, has organised a day’s workshop at Drobo in the Jaman South District for about 30 queens, 200 basic school children and some women’s groups.
The workshop, held on the theme “Gender, water and sanitation; building the case for sustainable use through transparent and accountable mechanism” was organised to sensitise the participants to the need to protect the environment, especially water bodies, since they are the primary sources of water in the society.
Formally known as QueenCare International, EoHOPE also organised the workshop to educate the participants on good hygiene, environmental practices and the judicious use of water.
The sponsors of the workshop were the World Bank Civil Society Fund and the Centre for Development Partner (CDP).
Welcoming the participants, Nana Afia Siraa Ababio III, Executive Director of EoHOPE, stressed the need for women, often regarded as the managers of homes in the country, to use water judiciously and observe personal hygiene in order to avoid contracting waterborne diseases since that constituted about 90 per cent of diseases found in the area.
She urged the queens to exert their traditional authority and impress on their people, the need to desist from farming along river banks and also keep their surroundings clean to avoid contracting waterborne diseases.
She further stressed the need for parents to make the education of their children their priority and urged the queens, who are the repository of the country’s rich cultural heritage, to help inculcate the good cultural and traditional practices, which were dying slowly, in the youth.
Nana Ababio, who is also the Queen of Kato, near Berekum, said the region lagged behind in girls education in the country and, therefore, called on stakeholders, especially queens, to lead the crusade to promote the education of girls and also abolish cultural practices that were a barrier to their education.
Mr Isaac Osei, the Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) who presented a paper on “Gender and Environment”, noted that since time immemorial women had been the major users and managers of the country’s natural resources.
In this regard, he said any attention paid to the education and capacity building of women would invariably lead to a major positive transformation of the environment.
Mr Osei said women were also engaged in dry season vegetable farming which involved the use of various agrochemicals that could end up polluting water bodies hence any education drive targeting them would certainly help reduce the pollution of rivers and streams.
The Jaman South District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Julius Atta Bediako, thanked the organisers of the workshop and said it was aimed at creating awareness of the need to improve water and sanitation.