“Gender equity for a Water-Secure Future” was organized at the recent 7th World Water Forum in Korea. The organizers, Women for Water Partnership (WfWP), wanted to highlight the importance of women and gender in the field of water, sanitation, and sustainable development.
Tell us something about yourself?
My name is Manta Devi Nowbuth, from Mauritius and I am the Dean in the Faculty of Ocean Studies at the University of Mauritius.
What would you say are the main challenges in your work as a woman?
As a woman at work, I have often noted that my suggestions are subject to relatively more queries before they are accepted, and also when a responsibility is given to a woman, expectations tend to be relatively very high.
What have you done to overcome these obstacles/challenges?
I would say that women have the added advantage of being more understanding and patient, so these skills help to bring the harmony much needed in a working environment.
Advise to other women in similar situations (in the water world)
My own career in the water world has been highly enriching and I wish all women working in the water sector the same rewarding experience.
Burkina CWP has initiated a series of meetings with some foreign embassies in Ouagadougou. Thus, a delegation met with the Ambassador of Morocco in Ouagadougou, Mr. FARHAT BUAZZA on April 20, 2015 for a courtesy visit to present the CWP and its portfolio of projects for a possible collaboration. The Ambassador welcomed the visit and thanked the Chair and his team.
The delegation met on April 23, the Ambassador of South Africa, HE Mr. Gangumzi TSENGIWE, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium in Burkina Faso, Mr Philip HEUTS.
One of the critical challenges facing the water sector is climate change. Studies have shown that Uganda is highly vulnerable to climate change and variability. This means that the economy and wellbeing of its people are tightly bound to climate. This has been demonstrated by increasing climate variability and occurrences of floods and droughts over the last two decades. These changes are likely to have significant implications for water sources, agriculture, food security, and soils.
On 8 March 2015, GWP celebrates International Women’s Day by advocating for a #watergoal, which would mean major improvements in living conditions for women worldwide. GWP Chair Ursula Schaefer-Preuss points out that there is a close connection between women and water.
In preparation for a Youth Engagement Strategy, GWP consulted one of its Partner organisations: the Water Youth Network (WYN). The Strategy was launched in Stockholm on 25 August 2015. Some WYN voices were captured in a video connected to this event.
The Global Water Partnership (GWP) network was tasked to facilitate consultations on water and food security at country level in order to provide concerned governments with widely shared position on water and food security issues and challenges in their respective countries. The Zimbabwe Water Partnership (ZWP) through a committee comprised mainly from the food and water sectors spearheaded the water-food consultations.