The training in collaboration with Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) Ghana and Dream Hunt Ghana and Volta RCC, also includes Women-led Organisations (WLOs), and selected partner Assemblies in Akatsi North and Anloga in the Volta Region. It forms part of SIGRA’s Regional CSO Workshop Series to review and mainstream Gender and Climate Change in partnership with districts Medium-Term Development Plans (MTDPs), budgets, and reporting cycles of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs). 

The project implemented by Cowater International and funded by Global Affairs Canada, aimed to strengthen local governance and ensure that development planning and budgeting processes were both gender-responsive and climate adaptive responsive. Participants included representatives from CSOs, WLOs, and officials from the Planning, Budgeting, Gender, Environmental, and Spatial Planning departments of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) and selected district assemblies. 

Ms Elham Mumuni, the Gender and CSO Advisor for the SIGRA Project, said the training sought to mainstream gender and climate adaptation issues into district planning and to strengthen CSOs’ capacity, to serve as watchdogs in ensuring that gender-responsive and climate-adaptive policies were not only planned but implemented. “Plans and budgets are not gender-neutral – they must be gender-responsive,” she stressed. “

Women and other vulnerable groups must be part of the consultation and accountability processes, because their needs differ from those of men. Climate change is deeply intersectional and impacts women differently; they are the ones who walk long distances for water and fuel, so their voices must be part of the solution,” 

Ms Mumuni said. She added that SIGRA’s broader goal was to improve the resilience of Ghanaian citizens, particularly women, girls and vulnerable groups through increased involvements in inclusive and gender responsive climate adaptation. 

Ms Mumuni explained that this was done by ensuring that gender and climate adaptation priorities were integrated into development plans, adequately budgeted for, and implemented effectively. Madam Melody Darkey, the Executive Director of WiLDAF Ghana, emphasised that her organisation co-designed the SIGRA project with Cowater International, with the shared vision of ensuring that gender and climate adaptation issues are prioritized at both regional and sub-national levels. “

We are here to enhance the capacity of CSOs and women’s rights organisations so that they can meaningfully participate in district planning and budgeting processes,” she noted. She said this was a crucial time when the MMDAs were developing their Medium-Term Development Plans, and they wanted CSOs to know the entry points for engagement, to ensure that gender and climate priorities were reflected and adequately funded. 

Mrs Portia Adu-Mensah, a representative of Dream Hunt Ghana, highlighted her organisation’s community-driven strategy under the SIGRA project focuses on amplifying women’s voices and leadership in climate-related decision-making, particularly in the Akatsi North and Anloga Districts. “Women are the most affected by climate change, yet their participation in local decision-making remains low,” she said. She added that “We are building their capacity to become storytellers, communicators, and champions in their communities – to ensure that their views are not only heard but integrated into the design and implementation of climate solutions.” 

On behalf of the participating Assemblies and CSOs, Madam Rita Antoinette Arko Dadzie of the Budget Unit, Akatsi North District Assembly, expressed appreciation for the workshop, describing it as timely and practical. She said they had learnt how to integrate gender-sensitive and climate-resilient measures into their medium-term development plans and budgets and understood the importance of involving women and CSOs at every stage – from stakeholder consultations to validation and final approval. 

“We are grateful to SIGRA, Cowater, and all partners for supporting our efforts toward inclusive and sustainable development.” The SIGRA project continues to empower district assemblies, CSOs, and WLOs to create inclusive, equitable, and climate-resilient communities across the Volta Region.