Special capacity building opportunities for WOMEN in the WATER SECTOR

1. 5thWorld Water Forum SIDE EVENT No: SE089 Special capacity building opportunities for WOMEN in the WATER SECTOR Date: 19th  March 2009 Time: 08.30am – 10.30am Venue/room: Feshane/Lale Hall http://www.ait.asia Organised by AIT and Partners in Africa, Asia and UNESCO

2. Roundtable Panelists • Dr. Khin Ni Ni Thein, AIT, Convener • Ms. Kusum Arthukolale, NetWwater, Co-organizer • Dr. Babette Resurreccion, AIT • Prof. dr. Shahbaz Khan, UNESCO • Ms. Sarah Ogalleh, NCCR • Mr. Syed Monzur Husain Bokhari, AITAA-BD, DPM • Mr. Tauhidul Anwar Khan, BWP • Dr. Sengamphone Chithtalath, MRC • Ms. Mayosha Mendis, University of Pennsylvania • Ms. Carol Gathoni, East African Wildlife Organization • Ms. Rehema, KWDT, Uganda • Ms. Siegmien Staphorst, WfWP • Ms. Annabell Waititu, IEW, Kenya (Co-organizer remotely from Kenya) • Prof. Brigitte Urban, Luphana University of Lueneburg (absent with apology)

3. Burning Issues (Sheet 1) • How do we over come the notion of Gender Abstractness? • Capacity building is two way business • Women at the decision making level – still an issue after decades of work for gender mainstreaming • CB in Universities –> down to the local people – ensure to empower the women at the grassroots level • Instıtutional level strategic partnership – Eg. Asian University for Women and AIT • UNESCO,s efforts at the global and regional levels – also need to strengthen strategic partnerships that exist at present • Bottom up appoach very important – also to change and shape the policies • Knowledge Management – to avoıd the repetition – describing the problems alone we need to discuss on ‘solutions’.

4. Dıfferent Strategies • Dset the rule for integrated Training Project to introduce at least 50% • Still need to work on awareness while doing CB – in different domains at different levels • Integrate Gender Aspect into the overall Framework of the work – Institute’s mission, Instıtute wide policies, etc. • Get involve men to achieve real collaborative system for proper water management – role of men is very important • Water sector has many opportunities for women -

5. Dıfferent Strategies (Sheet 2) • Workshops in dıfferent regions and areas • Afffirmative action – target and train the women – send a clear message to the government that if you want to sustain the progress in the water sector, train the women • Update the knowledge – share – knowledge Management pop up again here – affirmative action to upgrade the latest science and technology to both Men and Women – sharing!!!

6. Dıfferent Strategies • Dset the rule for integrated Training Project to introduce at least 50% • Still need to work on awareness while doing CB – in different domains at different levels • Integrate Gender Aspect into the overall Framework of the work – Institute’s mission, Instıtute wide policies, etc. • Get involve men to achieve real collaborative system for proper water management – role of men is very important • Water sector has many opportunities for women -

7. Recommendations • Check and recheck the ‘Gender balance’ through out the process of CB • Socıal emphasis and Gender should apply hand in hand – without this balance we won’t succeed • Number game in gender mainstreaming – power station is more than the number – make sure to get unity to investigate the issue and share the decision making – EQUAL MEASURİNG not number • RESEARCH to ACTION at the national level • National and local level water community and women community level –SET the TARGETs – review and take more actions

8. Recommendations (Sheet 2) • Tactıcs and strategy for both men and women • Institutional level reform – need to push from both ends – two way approach – chieve responsibility iıes at the TOP • Indıcators should be implemented to measure the progress and success of the GD Mainstreaming • Introduce the GD Mainstreaming in University’s Overall Agenda • Develop qualitative and quantitative indicators