The road to Dushanbe - Interview with Josefina Maestu
On the eve of the Gender Forum, organised by Women for Water Partnership (WfWP) at the High Level International Conference on Water Cooperationin Dushanbe, Tajikistan, the Gender Forum Moderator and Director of UNW-DPAC, Josefina Maestu states why the Gender Forum is relevant to the water for life decade.
Why is the gender forum relevant to the water for life decade?
The Gender Forum represents a key landmark in the international decade for action- There are less than 900 days to the end of the decade and the commitment of countries is still a reality.
The international decade for action- water for life 2005-2015 recognizes the importance of women as actors in water management. The United Nations Resolution A/RES/58/217, 2003, par.2 establishes that the goals of the decade are to insure a greater focus on water-related issues at all levels and on the implementation of water-related programmes and projects, while striving to ensure the participation and involvement of women in water-related development efforts,and the furtherance of cooperation at all levels, in order to help to achieve internationally agreed water-related goals.
What are your expectations for the Gender Forum?
The International Conference on Water Cooperation of Dushanbe is a High Level Conference. The Gender Forum is perhaps the only opportunity in the conference of bringing together the high level policy makers with grass roots (women) organizations and international networks of women organizations.
I expect an intense level of exchange of experiences during the forum, bringing forward the wealth of women engagement experiences that there are out there.
One of the key messages of the conferences is that gender mainstreaming have been seen as targeting women to insure the achievement of the MDG target of water and sanitation and the implementation of water as a human right. In this forum women are going a step further and showing how in practical examples women have been agents of change.
Why is this Conference important in the international year of cooperation?
In designating 2013 as the UN International Year of Water Cooperation, the UNGA recognizes that cooperation is essential to strike a balance between the different needs and priorities and share this precious resource equitably, using water as an instrument of peace. This conference highlights that water problems are shared problems and cannot be solved alone by single stakeholder’s agents. This is the main high level political event of the year and one that promises to bring about further commitment to the need to cooperate to solve water problems, considering a participatory and inclusive approach.
What is your overall role in Dushanbe?
I have the honour to have been invited by the Government of Tajikistan to be a member of the International Steering Committee. Tajikistan has been and continues to be a leading country on water issues at International Level. The Office was set up as a result of one of their initiatives in the International decade for Action “Water for Life” 2005-2015. Being in the ISC and its drafting group will mean to be engaged in the preparation of the final deliberations and outcomes of the conference.
The work for the preparation of the Gender Forum and the Forum itself is going to be a major challenge as I am acting as the main moderator.
I will also be the reporter of the High Level Panel on Economic Benefits and I am part of the delegation of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs presided by Mr. Hongbo Wu, Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs, who is representing the Secretary General of the United Nations.
On the eve of the Gender Forum, organised by Women for Water Partnership (WfWP) at the High Level International Conference on Water Cooperationin Dushanbe, Tajikistan, the Gender Forum Moderator and Director of UNW-DPAC, Josefina Maestu states why the Gender Forum is relevant to the water for life decade.
Why is the gender forum relevant to the water for life decade?
The Gender Forum represents a key landmark in the international decade for action- There are less than 900 days to the end of the decade and the commitment of countries is still a reality.
The international decade for action- water for life 2005-2015 recognizes the importance of women as actors in water management. The United Nations Resolution A/RES/58/217, 2003, par.2 establishes that the goals of the decade are to insure a greater focus on water-related issues at all levels and on the implementation of water-related programmes and projects, while striving to ensure the participation and involvement of women in water-related development efforts,and the furtherance of cooperation at all levels, in order to help to achieve internationally agreed water-related goals.
What are your expectations for the Gender Forum?
The International Conference on Water Cooperation of Dushanbe is a High Level Conference. The Gender Forum is perhaps the only opportunity in the conference of bringing together the high level policy makers with grass roots (women) organizations and international networks of women organizations.
I expect an intense level of exchange of experiences during the forum, bringing forward the wealth of women engagement experiences that there are out there.
One of the key messages of the conferences is that gender mainstreaming have been seen as targeting women to insure the achievement of the MDG target of water and sanitation and the implementation of water as a human right. In this forum women are going a step further and showing how in practical examples women have been agents of change.
Why is this Conference important in the international year of cooperation?
In designating 2013 as the UN International Year of Water Cooperation, the UNGA recognizes that cooperation is essential to strike a balance between the different needs and priorities and share this precious resource equitably, using water as an instrument of peace. This conference highlights that water problems are shared problems and cannot be solved alone by single stakeholder’s agents. This is the main high level political event of the year and one that promises to bring about further commitment to the need to cooperate to solve water problems, considering a participatory and inclusive approach.
What is your overall role in Dushanbe?
I have the honour to have been invited by the Government of Tajikistan to be a member of the International Steering Committee. Tajikistan has been and continues to be a leading country on water issues at International Level. The Office was set up as a result of one of their initiatives in the International decade for Action “Water for Life” 2005-2015. Being in the ISC and its drafting group will mean to be engaged in the preparation of the final deliberations and outcomes of the conference.
The work for the preparation of the Gender Forum and the Forum itself is going to be a major challenge as I am acting as the main moderator.
I will also be the reporter of the High Level Panel on Economic Benefits and I am part of the delegation of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs presided by Mr. Hongbo Wu, Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs, who is representing the Secretary General of the United Nations.
