NARWOA Equips Kotido Women Elders to Champion Climate Justice and Monitor Service Delivery

By Richard Onapatum

Women elders in Kotido District have been equipped with skills to monitor government service delivery, influence local planning and budgeting, and hold public officials accountable for climate-related interventions following a two-day training organised by Nakere Rural Women Activists (NARWOA).

The training, which concluded on October 22, 2026, in Kotido Central Division, brought together members of the Kotido Women Elders Forum to strengthen their participation in local governance and climate justice advocacy under the Women’s Amplified Voice for Accountability (WAVA) project.

Facilitated by Olal Joel, the Kotido District Forest Officer, the training focused on helping women identify climate-related service delivery gaps, document community priorities, gather credible evidence and engage local authorities to address challenges affecting their communities.

Participants examined the links between climate change, gender and social justice, with particular attention to access to water sources, dams, valley tanks, water-harvesting facilities, climate-smart agriculture, irrigation, tree planting and ecosystem restoration.

They also explored energy-saving cooking technologies, disaster preparedness, early warning systems, access to climate information, agricultural inputs, market access and livelihood support as interventions for strengthening community resilience.

Speaking during the training, Namoe Rose Chila, the LCIII Chairperson of Kotido Central Division, urged women to take an active role in decisions affecting their communities and work closely with local leaders to address service delivery challenges.

She said women were well-positioned to articulate community concerns, influence development priorities and follow up on public services, particularly in water access, agriculture and other climate-related interventions.

The training also exposed participants to local government planning and budgeting processes, including how communities can identify and prioritise their needs, lobby for their inclusion in district plans and budgets, and track whether approved interventions are funded and implemented.

Through group discussions, case studies, role-play sessions and practical monitoring exercises, participants gained experience in documenting service delivery concerns, collecting evidence and presenting findings to duty bearers to support constructive advocacy.

The exercise culminated in the development of community advocacy plans identifying priority climate-related concerns, proposed engagement strategies and approaches for monitoring government commitments.

The plans are expected to guide the forum’s follow-up engagements with local authorities and strengthen women’s participation in decisions concerning public resources and service delivery.

The Women’s Amplified Voice for Accountability (WAVA) project is implemented by the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), with funding from the Royal Danish Embassy and the embassies of Sweden, the Netherlands and Ireland in Uganda.

NARWOA implements project activities in Kotido and Karenga districts, focusing on strengthening women’s participation in governance, public accountability and decision-making.

Through the initiative, women are supported to raise community concerns, influence planning and budgeting decisions, track government commitments and advocate for inclusive public services that respond to local priorities and climate-related challenges.

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