Malian gender programme selected for GWOPA Call for Good Practices 2021
09 November 2021In September 2021, GWOPA/UN-Habitat launched a Call for Good Practices to identify, celebrate and share how water and sanitation utilities, WOPs and their partners are addressing gender inclusion. The gender programme of our WOP partner SOMAGEP SA, the Malian water utility, has been selected! The Call for Good Practices was carried out as part of the 4th Global WOPs Congress, which took place from 8 – 29 October 2021.
Mentoring and career development for women and young professionals
The best practice "Mentoring and career development for women and young professionals", was submitted by Hadi Toure (), project coordinator for the WOP between World Waternet and Société Malienne de Gestion de l'Eau Potable SA (SOMAGEP SA), via the Young Expert Programmes in Mali. The WOP is part of the WaterWorX programme (2018-2030) and allows SOMAGEP to focus on areas such as Non-Revenue Water, service coverage for vulnerable populations, leadership and organizational development, and water quality. SOMAGEP SA was already involved in gender activities through AFSO, the women association of SOMAGEP SA and the REMAFPEA (WASH professional women cluster of the African Water Association). Through the WaterWorX programme, SOMAGEP SA was able to continue and further structure its gender inclusion practices, such as training and inclusion initiatives specifically designed by and for women.
In addition, via the WaterWorX programme, the young professional network (AJPEA) was supported in promoting and communicating about social connections in favor of pro-poor communities within water supply projects financed by development banks.
Certificate handed out by the GWOPA/UN-Habitat Call for Good Practices.
Female leadership
During a female leadership masterclass in 2019, women from WOPs in East and West Africa visited SOMAGEP SA in Bamako for a week. Participants benefited from training (Dutch and Malian trainers) and bonded - beyond the language barrier - during a boat tour. A follow-up to this masterclass was organised during the WaterWorX session at the African Water Association Congress & Exhibition in Uganda. In addition, the WaterWorX programme continued to support activities within SOMAGEP SA, such as rehabilitating and equipping toilets. Through this initiative, some departments obtained separate toilets for women.
Acceleration by WaterWorX
The support of the WaterWorX programme through these single, yet powerful activities was beneficial to SOMAGEP SA and beyond, in many ways. Several participants were promoted to higher position within their companies. Some of these women included the first female director of SOMAGEP SA, and the only female head of department of distribution and of service in the laboratory department. In addition, in 2021, the first female president of the young water professional network was elected by consensus. Furthermore, these trainings and activities facilitated many partnerships.
Recently, the female mentoring programme (SUFESEA), initiated by the WaterWorX programme in collaboration with AJPEA and the international training center (ICRA), has been granted funding through the Tailor-Made Training Gender call from NUFFIC. This mentoring programme involves young women and men from several universities in Bamako, Mali and their mentors. SUFESEA is a sustainable tool to ensure the establishment of a strong inclusive network and platform for lower voices to be heard. In conclusion, this programme will guarantee the career preparation of young women in universities, our future leaders in water and sanitation.
Hadi Toure (left) visiting the White Nile during follow-up session of the Female Masterclass in Uganda.
Hadi participates in the #WOPcast!
GWOPA/UN-Habitat recently launched the ‘WOPcast’. This podcast series aims at helping operators and water and sanitation professionals share, learn, and inspire one another in the walk towards the SDGs and the Human Right to Water and Sanitation. In the second episode, ‘Women in Water and Sanitation Utilities and WOPs’, Hadi Toure is invited to share her view on how utilities can only improve their performance and achieve SDG6 if they include the gender perspective, both in their service provision and their organizational structure. She explains how she is mentoring and encouraging women and girls to speak up for themselves, and know what they are worth, and by doing so, enhance female empowerment at SOMAGEP SA.
Listen to the podcast via Soundcloud () and get inspired!
