Benin, a network for women in the water sector established

Benin has established a Network of Professional Women in the Water and Sanitation Sector (RBFPEA) on 11 May 2018 in Cotonou to promote the involvement of professional women in the implementation of actions and projects and highlight their contribution to the development of the sector. CWP-Benin strongly supported the initiative.

The vision of the RBFPEA women is to "promote women's leadership in the water and sanitation sector" in Benin and to "work to raise awareness of women's potential and build this potential within national, regional and international water and sanitation structures through actions that contribute to gender mainstreaming in sustainable development programmes".

Women from the public as well as the private sector, Non-Governmental Organizations and associations intervening in the water and sanitation sector women resolutely commit themselves to develop through their actions, their potential and to take part in the debates relating to the sector at the national, regional and African levels, notably within the African Water Association (AfWA).

Targeting youth, women in the network and women in the Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector, RBFPEA women are committed to advocating for greater empowerment of women within sector ministries and projects and programmes, as well as for the provision of scholarships to girls for more women in the water professions. Finally, they intend to work to strengthen the capacities of women in the network and in the sector on issues related to water and sanitation and gender and development, and also to raise awareness among rural and urban women with a view to raising their awareness of the challenges facing the sector and the role they must play.

Benin joins several other countries that have networks of women professionals in the water and sanitation sector including Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Senegal, Mali, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, Uganda, Togo, Malawi and Guinea-Conakry.

The ceremony was attended by the Ministry of Water represented by the Deputy Director of Cabinet, Alassane K. TOSSOUNON, the Acting Director General of the Société nationale des eaux du Bénin (Soneb), and the Chairman of the Soneb Board of Directors, Corneille Ahouansou.