By Maxwell Awumah
Ho, Sept. 24, GNA – Women with Disability Development and Advocacy Organisation (WODAO), a disability development and advocacy not-for-profit organisation has opened a training section for its downstream civil society organisation partners in a capacity-building workshop in Ho.
The three-day zonal event dubbed “Strengthening Civil Society Representation of Women with Disabilities in Ghana,” marks a significant milestone for WODAO and its downstream partners, who work tirelessly to advance the rights and inclusion of women and girls with disabilities.
The event is themed: “Strengthening Inclusive Civil Society Representation Through Safeguarding, Disability, Inclusion, Gender Mainstreaming and Climate Resilience,” under the auspices of Sightsavers International, ABAK Foundation and funded by the European Commission.
WODAO is engaging some 224 CSO participants across 13 Districts in Volta and Oti Regions with practical skills in safeguarding, disability inclusion, gender mainstreaming, and climate resilience at the core.
Ms Veronica Denyo Kofiedu, the Executive Director of WODAO said the engagement is a key component of their Year Two activities under the Strengthening Civil Society Representation of Women with Disabilities in Ghana project.
She indicated Year Two plan also includes a mentorship programme designed to support women with disabilities through both virtual and in-person coaching in a mentor-mentee concept targeted at boosting advocacy, skills, deepen technical knowledge to support decision-making at all levels.
She said it is intended to harness the knowledge gained at this training to be translated into sustained leadership and empowerment platforms and ensuring that women with disabilities are meaningfully included in development planning.
Ms Kofiedu said earlier this year, WODAO developed well-tailored training strategies to meet the unique needs of its downstream partners, enhance community networking and participation.
She said a baseline survey attests to lower depth of knowledge on climate change with associated ramifications including disasters, excessive drought and flooding as well as fire incidences, which showed major gaps in policy, which requires EPA, NADMO and the Assemblies to help enact laws to fill the void.
She said WODAO was therefore engaging stakeholders through regional workshops aimed at building alliances and co-creating solutions with local authorities, traditional leaders, and development partners.
She said WODAO’s journey will culminate in the Learn & Share Festival slated for early next year – a national platform to showcase the stories, outcomes, and innovations emerging from the training engagements.
“Through this, we aim to extend the impact of our work far beyond the Volta and Oti Regions. Together, we can drive transformative change and build an inclusive society where women and girls with disabilities not only survive-but thrives.
“Let us learn, share, and strengthen our movement-because together, we can,” she added.
Ms Kofiedu thanked the EU and partners as well as facilitators for the collaboration.
Madam Ruth Atengdem, the Programme Officer, Sight Savers said over the past year, the European Union has funded this project, which is going to span two years, with the first phase of the implementation, which sought to build the capacity of ABAK and WODAO, who are co-applicants on this project covered.
She said the engagement was expected to enhance CSOs ability to integrate gender equity, disability inclusion and climate resilience into programmes and advocacy and again build networks and peer learning among CSOs across the Volta and Oti regions.
“We look forward to a fruitful collaboration with partners and also with the downstream organisations, where WODAO would transition from the capacity building to mentorship, where they would be working with at most 50 women.”
Participants are poised for the engagement and pledged to give their all towards the realization of the objectives of the programme.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo