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Today, 5 October 2015 at the Regional Council Meeting, Global Water Partnership Central and Eastern Europe is releasing a new video about the organization as part of a campaign for welcoming new Partners.

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.

 

Mauritius joined the other SADC countries in providing input to the 4^th phase of the Regional Water Programme by holding a workshop in the context of the SADC Water Week on 3 and 4^th June 2015. The meeting held at Voilà Hotel in Bagatelle was opened by Mr. Ivan Collendavallo, Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, and attended by 60 stakeholders from the water sector, supporting sectors, media and youth.

Report of the GWP/OECD Task Force on Water Security and Sustainable Growth

New challenges related to water have strongly emerged in the Mediterranean like those linked with increased migration flows due to conflict, social unrest and degradation of natural resources and well as changing consumption patterns. Linked with these, employment challenges, particularly for the younger generation and women, remain central and in need of long term approaches and substantial action.

The Hebei province is experiencing severe water shortages resulting in serious environmental and socio-ecological problems. To combat these issues, the provincial government has encouraged rainwater utilisation for agriculture as well as improving soil and water conservancy and vegetation cover. The most important lesson is that rainwater is able to alleviate water shortage particularly in dry season or dry zones.

GWP is gearing up for its continued support to countries on climate change adaptation, leading towards the implementation of the Paris Agreement. GWP activities under the Global Water, Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP) aim to strengthen the resilience of countries to climate change, and more specifically support to countries will focus around the Nationally Determined Contributions, the National Adaptation Plan processes, South-South Cooperation, and financing.

The first International Workshop on Wastewater Management in the Danube river Basin took place from 28 to 29 November 2017 in Bucharest, Romania. The Workshop was co-organised by the ICPDR, IAWD, the International Association of Water Supply companies in the Danube River Catchment Area, and the World Bank.