NGO Charges Critical Stakeholders On Water, Climate Change

A non-govermental organisation under the auspices of Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre has charged critical stakeholders to support and invest in community-led initiatives and local climate actions that address water issues and climate change.
The organisation gave the charge during a one-day summit titled: ‘We Women Are Water’, Water For Climate, Resilience And Environment (Be The Change) to mark the 2023 World Water Day, held in Port Harcourt.
Speaking during the event, the executive Director, Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, Madam Emem Okon, stated that the essence of the campaign is to call on critical stakeholders such as the governments, International Development Banks, and the Green Climate Fund, to stop investing in environmentally destructive projects that violate human rights and negatively impact ecosystems, large hydropower dams, oil and gas extraction activities.
Okon stressed the need for these critical stakeholders to align investments with the Sustainable Development Goals and their international and national human rights’ obligations.
She hinted that the #WeWomenAreWater campaign aims at also highlighting the crucial role women play in the protection and sustainable use of water-related ecosystems as the basis of resilient livelihoods as well addressing climate change challenges.
Okon hinted further that the campaign which started March 15 and ended March 24, 2023, saying that it was led by the Global Alliance for Green And Gender Action (GAGGA).
The occasion, she said, featured stories from indigenous women, particularly women who are resisting extractive industries; monoculture tree plantations, among other false climate solutions, women who are proposing and implementing successful Gender-just Climate and Water Solutions, but lack political and financial support.
It is worthy to note that the event was in partnership with Global Alliance For Green And Gender Action and attended by dignitaries from Ford Foundation, Ministry of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers States in attendance.

By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana