On 17-18 February, the second regional workshop on transboundary waters, “Understanding the challenges - Planning for regional and transboundary action” was held in Tela, Honduras, to support the establishment of a Regional Dialogue and Community of Practice on Transboundary Waters in Central America.
As part of the UN SDG 6 Data Drive, the SDG 6 IWRM Support Programme is substantially scaling up its efforts in 2020 by facilitating 60+ in-country processes across the world to assist national stocktaking and reporting, and more importantly, to support transformative action towards a greater implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).
“It began with passion and learning. When I was young, I wanted to be an engineer and then I wanted to teach. Putting these two interests together, I became a university teacher specialized in water resources engineering.” This is how Dr. Khin Ni Ni Thein’s professional journey with water started. Now, 42 years later and many experiences richer, she shares her career story in celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD2020).
For International Women's Day 2020, celebrated on 8 March, UN Women chose the theme, "I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights.” GWP reached out to women in its worldwide network, asking them to share stories on what they learned on their journey to taking on leadership roles in the water sector.
As a woman who has been working for women's rights for more than 20 years and participated in hundreds of training sessions, meeting and round tables, Mirela Arqimandriti has met women from all over Albania who work in industry, service sector or public sector – such as women workers in textile and shoe factories, agriculture, health, education etc. She says that having safe drinking water and hygienic sanitation is central to human rights and the personal dignity of every woman, man and child on earth. A collaborator of GWP Mediterranean, Mirela celebrates International Women’s Day (IWD2020) by sharing her story.
Kholoud Al-Ajarma is a Programme Manager for Lajee Center in Palestine, a Winner of the Water Heroes Contest, and collaborator to GWP Mediterranean. “My interest in water started from a human rights perspective. I believed that water is not only a science concern, but to have a better future in water management, all segments of society should collaborate to ensure water access to everyone and to raise awareness about water management and consumption among local communities,” she says. Today, her main motivation in is to ensure environmental justice for everyone. She shares her story in celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD2020).
Becoming an Environmental Engineer is a journey in itself, says Anja Potokar, a water professional who collaborates with GWP Central and Eastern Europe. In celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD2020), she shares her career story – on how great mentors helped her to establish herself as a young engineer.
A mixture of personal and professional characteristics led Maria Angelica to a career in Civil Hydraulic Engineering: “On the personal side, a strength of character combined with a dose of rebellion and of not accepting the status-quo just because it is what it is. Professionally, something that brings a sense of strength is talent combined with a great technical capacity and professional training. With these characteristics it is less complicated to position yourself as a woman leader because it also allows you to disrupt sexist and discriminatory biases in the water sector.” In celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD2020), Maria Angelica shares her career story.
“Since childhood, I was always in awe of everything related to the development sector. I had the ambition to help the disadvantaged populations in my country and in Africa”, says Félicité Vodounhessi, Programme Officer for GWP West Africa. In celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD2020) she shares her career story on becoming a Water and Rural Equipment Engineer.
“Over the years, I have learned that the water crisis affects women and girls especially in rural areas with high vulnerability. Where there is no water, women and girls must carry heavy drums of water for kilometres, endure the hardness of the soil, and experience the insecurity to ensure their families the human right of access to drinking water and sanitation.” These are the concerns of Carmen Gonzales, Chair of GWP Nicaragua, as she shares her career story in celebration of International Women’s Day (IWD2020).
