From 6 to 8 April a Gender and Advocacy Training was organised by NRM-LED at Kasulu District. All main project implementers – being NRM-LED staff and selected staff of the LGAs (Local Government Authorities) the project works with – joined the training.

Through interactive sessions, group works and role plays, the participants were made aware of gender issues in general, and gender issues in natural resources management in Tanzania in particular. In the design of the NRM-LED project, gender specific indicators were included, such as participation of women in decision making, and access to and control over natural resources by women. But putting these things in practice requires the appropriate knowledge and skills. Thus, the aim of the workshop was for project implementers to acquire capacities on gender, so they can identify gender challenges in their day to day activities, and explore ways to deal with these challenges.

This gender training was the first training of its kind to be conducted by the project, and therefore played an important role in creating awareness among the Project and Local Government staff. After the training some of the participants declared that they can now see and plan things with 'gender lenses'.
It was the first gender training, but it will not be the last, because – as we all know – working on equal chances for women and men is not a one day effort!