651-interview-with-he-betty-achan-ogwaro-state-minister-for-agriculture-and-animal-resources

African Woman and Child Feature Service - Interview with H.E. Betty Achan Ogwaro: State Minister for Ag Written by Sudan Project Monday, 22 June 2009 11:57

Immediately after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), there was a joint assessment Mission was set up to see how financing and reconstruction of the country that was hard hit by 21 years of civil war would take place. The following is an interview with H.E. Betty Achan Ogwaro: State Minister for Agriculture and Animal Resources

QUESTION: What do you know about the JAM Process?

Answer: The JAM process was an assessment taken by Donors in partnership with the Government and NGOs and looking into the extent on the impact of war on Sudan and how they could reconstruct the country again especially South Sudan.

Q: Were you in anyway involved? And if so how?

A: Not directly but being a member of SPLM, they would ask all partners to give in-put into the report and in that way I took part in the JAM process.

Q: What are some of the key issues that women prioritized in the JAM?

A: Some of the key issues we noticed then were education and health services because Sudan has got one of the highest maternal mortality, water, and support of infrastructure.

Although a lot of information was dedicated to service delivery but now in the assessment we have realized that women’s role did not come out strongly.

Q: Were you involved in designing how post crisis in Sudan should be financed?

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African Woman and Child Feature Service - Interview with H.E. Betty Achan Ogwaro: State Minister for Agr Written by Sudan Project Monday, 22 June 2009 11:57

A: I was not involved at all in the finance designing of post crisis in Sudan

Q: Do you understand the different ways of financing for post CPA in Sudan?

A: Yes and that should be through the Government, the Multi-Donor Trust Funds, the Donors and Local and International NGOs. Although gender financing did not come out strongly as one way of financing for post CPA in Sudan.

Q: What are your views about the Multi-Donor Trust Fund?

A: Multi-Donor Trust Fund though set up to spearhead the JAM recommendation in the implementation process in terms of financing the various projects, little has been achieved.

Q: Have you or your organizations been able to access some funds through the MDTF?

A: No

Q: What are the challenges that you have faced with the MDTF?

A: There is no window for women to access the funds and there is no information flow on what issues they are funding.

Q: What are your recommendations on access to funds, flexibility of funds etc?

A: Capacity building of women in leadership; Support to projects around livelihood and education.

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African Woman and Child Feature Service - Interview with H.E. Betty Achan Ogwaro: State Minister for Agr Written by Sudan Project Monday, 22 June 2009 11:57

Q: What are the four key issues you would recommend to be prioritized for financing?

A: Establishment of micro-finance for women; Support of the girl child education; Support of women in agriculture; Health care services as well as primary health care.

Q: What can the MDTF do in order to include more women in decision-making?

A: Multi-Donor Trust Fund should make sure that all the projects they fund have a gender component so that financing of gender can become a reality.

Q: Define in more specific terms your recommendations to government, donors, UN and other civil society organizations on financing?

A: Government and donors should come up with policies which can make possible for finance gender through the Ministry of Gender. And the CSO should also under what gender budgeting is all about and train the women on what gender financing means to them and how they can be part of the process.

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