WHY IMPROVED COOKSTOVES MATTER ON COMMEMORATION OF 2014 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
Under the theme:
“Fighting climate change- The Role of Women”.
In a world where modern
technology is penetrating the far outskirts of this planet, a silent crisis is
also taking place- destroying the environment, affecting the health, well
being, dignity and development of millions of people especially in developing
countries. Each year International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8.
The first International Women’s Day was held in 1911. Thousands of events occur
to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more
than 3 billion people globally are exposed to smoke resulting from traditional
cooking and heating methods such as using firewood and leaky cookstoves. Women
and children are the most affected by the health problems associated with
cookstove smoke, which contributes to more deaths a year globally.
Abibiman
Foundation in collaboration with GHACCO, SNV Ghana, celebrate of international
Women’s Day in Tema Newtown. A visit to
Tema Newtown where these women smoke fish reveals that about 91% of their
source of fire for smoking fish comes from the firewood. Abibiman Foundation
currently work with organized women groups in Tema Newtown on issues of
environmental sustainability because majority of this women rely on fishing as
their only source of livelihood and the methodology that is used to smoke the
fish involves the use of firewood which is produced through cutting down of
trees. These women smoke fish in open fires and traditional cookstoves, they
play a crucial role in the adoption and use of clean cooking solutions because
of their responsibilities as cooks and managers of their households.
The objective for this year
International Women’s Day Celebration in Ghana is to inspire change by engaging
Ghanaian women to fight climate change by promoting the use of Improved clean cookstoves
which has proven to be an effective technology in reducing the use of firewood
for cooking to save lives, improve livelihoods, empower women, and protect the
environment by creating a thriving global market for clean and efficient
household cooking solutions.
The choice of venue for the
celebrations is because majority of women in Tema Newtown rely on fishing as their only source of
livelihood and the methodology that is used to smoke the fish involves the use
of firewood which is produced through cutting down of trees. These women smoke
fish in open fires through the use of traditional cookstoves which pollutes the
environment and can cause cataracts, cancer, heart disease and mostly is the
women and children who are affected because cooking is seen as the woman
responsibility.
Introduce clean cookstoves to
the community because women play a crucial role in the adoption and use of
clean cooking solutions because of their responsibilities as cooks and managers
of their households. SNV Ghana has pilot one of the cookstoves which intends to
support the women of tema newtown and enhance projects on the ground by
introducing them to clean cookstoves which is environmental friendly and also
ensure that women of tema newtown are economically empowered to use clean
cookstove technologies, fuels, equipment, and practices that address the health
and environmental impacts associated with traditional cookstoves.
The overall objective of the
Days celebration is to get the women fish mongers in tema newtown to adopt the
clean cookstove to enhance clean environment, preserve our trees and also
promote healthy life style among these women for their benefit and the
community at large.
Kenneth Nana Amoateng
www.abibimmanfoundation.org
amoatengken@gmail.com
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