From the 23rd to the 24th of October 2023, a Learning Forum was conducted virtually for all the 15 INERELA+ Country Networks. The Country Networks were represented by Country Coordinators, Project Officers, Finance Officers, and support staff. The main aim of the training was to provide a platform for dialogue, reflection, and action to strengthen INERELA+ and Country Networks to present workshop participants with ideas, experiences, lessons learned, and potential solutions to challenges. In line with the changed context, the 2023 Learning Forum INERELA+ partnered with experts to deliver training in Climate Change, Mental Health, Gender Equality, and Children’s rights. Governance was also given special attention as it remains the key factor that affects the effectiveness of the Country Networks.
The learning forum was officially opened by INERELA+ Executive Director Munya Mandipaza who highlighted that every time we host the learning forum we share our concerns, challenges, and lessons learned across countries. The same was going to be done against a backdrop of deepening inequality, economic instability, and the deterioration of global peace and security. She stated that everywhere, crises continue to exert their highest toll on women and girls. COVID and its longer-term impacts are not behind us. Climate change, and in particular climate-driven disasters demand a gender lens in adapting and mitigating impacts. Hence the learning forum was structured to it incorporate some sessions on Climate Change, Gender Equality, mental health, peace, security, and human rights issues which are inextricably linked. Climate change risks increasing social issues, including gender, inequalities. Given the dynamic changes in the world, Country Networks quickly need to adapt and analyse their contexts.
The first day of the learning forum covered training on; Gender and climate change which was facilitated by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA). A topic on Gender Transformation Approaches, and Children’s Rights was facilitated by Sonke Gender Justice gender expert and the INERELA+ Secretariat. The Second day of the training focused on the review of the governance checklist – status of Country action plans, board roles and responsibilities, country Network action plans – supporting role clarification, and meeting the challenge of the Financial Action Task Force by Glen Farred.