Kumasi, June 07, GNA- The Tropical Biology Association (TBA) has underscored the need for female environmental conservationists to come together and champion the course of sustaining natural habitats.
Dr Betty Agyei, a Mentor at the TBA, noted that over the years most trainings undertaken by the Association had excluded women-led organisations within the environmental space and this did not augur well for ensuring safer environments.
She noted that the Association under its current project titled, “Enhancing Biodiversity Conservation Capacity Building of CSOs Working in the Guinean of Forest West African Hotspots” was engaging more women environmentalists.
This is aimed at reaching out to many more women in this space to build capacities, share knowledge, identify weaknesses, provide the necessary support and help in protecting biodiversity.
Dr Agyei said these at a meeting in Kumasi, to formally meet women groups and form networks to kick start environmental advocacy and education.
The TBA, has therefore adopted the Rights and Advocacy Initiatives Network (RAIN), a woman-led non-governmental organisation aimed at developing a resilient environment for humanity, to train under the project in Ashanti and link them onto national and international environmental platforms.
Dr Agyei said that the environment was at risk coupled with climate change having serious effects on varieties of biological organisms including flora, fauna, and different ecosystem for habitats.
The Association was also identifying all women environmental organisations within Ghana, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire Cameroun, Sierra Leone and Liberia, the project areas to build their capacities.
Mrs Doreen Asumang-Yeboah, Director of RAIN, said women were doing a lot in environmental conservation but it was very challenging in identifying them.
She urged to make avail themselves and project the work they were undertaking so that they could be easily identified.
As part of the network formation, the women are exposed to how to better market their activities, use the right channels and promote themselves through social media platforms.
GNA