Thirty women from selected communities in the Jirapa Municipality of the Upper West Region are undergoing a three day training workshop here in Jirapa to sharpen their skills in the identification and usage of Clean Water, improved Sanitation and access to improved Health Care Services by using what is dubbed the “Human Rights Based Approach” (HRBA).
The training under the auspices of Water Aid Ghana with training facilitation and sponsorship from Guinness Ghana Limited in collaboration with the Municipal Environmental Health Department saw participants drawn from various women’s groups from Gbare, Sabuli, Dawiireyiri, Vaareeyiri and Guoyiri, all communities in the Jirapa Municipality and would be trained in the access of and use of Good Water, improved Sanitation and access to quality Health Care Services as a prerequisite of their fundamental human rights and also to act as advocates and trainers to their respective groups and communities at large.
Lead facilitator for the training, Jeremiah Mawutor explained that there have been previous training in the areas of clean water, improved sanitation and access to quality health care services but this particular training is designed to energize the participants to consider these thematic areas as their fundamental human rights and advocate for same by empowering their respective groups and communities to insist on them.
According to Mr. Mawutor, in the case of good water, it should be safe, accessible, affordable, sufficient and available as the right of the Consumer and not necessarily a privilege.
In the same stead, sanitation as a human right should insist on a clean environment with frequent cleaning of ones surroundings and water and food containers especially engaging with the communities and stakeholders in siting boreholes and other sources of water for domestic consumption away from burial sites.
He said it is important for communities to insist on improved health care services with the upgrading of existing health facilities and services according to their needs.
Mr. Mawutor said all these can be done through dialogue, stakeholder engagement and advocacy without necessarily being rude.
He said the participants are expected to come out with action plans which is important for tracking project success and monitoring.
On her part, the focal person for the project and an officer with the Jirapa Municipal Environmental Health Department, Natalia Diibuzie this training workshop is a follow-up on a previous one which involved both male and female participants but this current one is focused on women because of the pivotal roles they have assumed in the society.
She said the numbers and communities have been limited because of budgetary constraints and that a lot more could have been done and achieved.
She said because of previous and ongoing programmes, the average woman has become assertive, bold and is prepared to play an active role in community change and development.
A participant, Theresa Zankuri from Sabuli agreed that the training is important especially that it has emboldened women to take up responsibility in their communities because most of the actions taken involves them and their children.
She says women now have a fair idea of their rights and that the era of timidity and intimidation is fast eroding.
