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The Interactive workshop on South Asia Drought Monitoring System (SADMS) held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Monday, 20 April 2015.

The Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean (GWP-Med) is seeking to hire an expert from Drin Riparian Countries to provide Water Quality Surveillance Monitoring and Sampling Training in Kosovo*.

The Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean (GWP-Med) is seeking to hire an expert from Drin Riparian Countries to provide Water Quality Surveillance Monitoring and Sampling Training in FYR Macedonia.

The Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean (GWP-Med) is seeking to hire an expert from Drin Riparian Countries to provide Water Quality Surveillance Monitoring and Sampling Training in Albania.

The Water-Employment-Migration nexus triggers a multi-faceted crisis posing major socio-political, economic and environmental risks in several regions (Africa, Asia, Europe), with the Mediterranean been in the eye of the cyclone.

Name:                               Maria Amakali

Occupation:                     Director of Water Resources Management

Country:                          Namibia

Country of Work:           Namibia and SADC

What would you say are the main challenges in your work as a woman?

 

I started working as hydrologist in the Department of Water Affairs in the early nineties. I had studied in the US and was ready to come and work in a newly independent Namibia. My responsibilities included planning and execution of research and investigations regarding sustainable development of water resources; and providing advice on the effective utilization, protection and conservation of such resources. At a time I found a lot of males, in the department. Except for the two women scientist in Hydrology Division, most women were doing mostly secretarial or office administrative work. I remember one day standing outside, waiting for my ride home and this man came to me asking whose secretary I was. In an independent Namibia, I was quite shocked that the old stereotype mentality that women can only be secretaries still exists. Those days there were not many women or black hydrologists, but I was still offended.

 

GWPSA’s technical team participated at the World Water Week in Stockholm from 28^th August – 2^nd September, 2016. Under the theme, Water for Sustainable Growth, the team participated in a number of sessions contributing to the solutions to the most pressing water-related challenges of today. Key sessions that they participated in included:

The Global Water Partnership (GWP) together with the International Authority on Development (IGAD), the Africa Network on Basin Organizations (ANBO), UNECE, Makerere University and other partners organized a regional training on Water Governance and International Water Law for Trans-boundary Water Management in Africa in Entebbe, Uganda from 05-07 June 2017.

GWP Nigeria held a meeting on April 6, attended by a member of the BOT, Steering Committee and TEC members.

SDGs refer to a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years (2016-2030). GWP China focuses on SDG#6, the Energy Foundation on SDG#7, and WRI on SDG#2, which makes three lead players integrating the goals from a multilateral aspect.