Gender and environment interventions and desk studies of gender and development action

Gender and environment interventions and studies desk of gender and development action (GADA) which is managed by me was established to take on board environment issues and the challenges facing women in accessing new forms of affordable energy. The idea was to provide the main organization GADA with a clearer picture of the deepening level of poverty that was pervading the rural communities in Nigeria especially the coastal regions and which was contributing to the setback in realizing MDG 1. It was also meant to provide current and reliable statistics on the number of women who depended on traditional biomass as their source of energy to drive domestic and economic activities. Gender and development action (GADA) one of the leading women-focused NGOs in Nigeria with expertise in policy dialogues and interventions for the marginalized and socially excluded. GADA is also notable for working to increase the number and quality of women’s representation in politics and public life in Nigeria. The desk therefore supports GADA's role in promoting gender equality and social justice. The desk works hard to intervene in the rural communities in north central Nigeria to assist the poor especially women in accessing affordable energy alternatives to support their livelihoods while building their capacities to adapt to impacts of climate change. Recently the desk realized that due to the extent of deepened poverty the rural dwellers have aggravated the deforestation and global warming problems in these communities by over-depending on fuel wood and traditional biomass as sources of energy for economic and domestic purposes. This has in turned worsened their living conditions. Cengesi supports GADA's work by providing statistical data and other useful information on the population and living condition of the poorest poor in north- central Nigeria. Mission statement: to foster critical alliances that will work for the realization of social justice in Nigeria through a gender based development approach Vision statement: to build an equitable society in which the values and aspirations of men and women can be fully realized