The capacity building workshop for Project stakeholders on the integration of the Gender and Water Security dimension into project activities was organized during the official project launch workshop. This training, led jointly by Mrs. Gany Fazila and Mrs. Odinukwe Nkechi with the participation of local expertise on gender and social issues, made it easier to take this dimension into account in the implementation of the project. During this activity, the responsibilities of the different key actors were presented and analyzed according to the specific objectives, activities, outcomes and outputs of the project.

It should be noted that the aspect of taking gender into account in the Project will develop gradually with the improvement of the curiosity of the research teams on gender-sensitive issues. The training aroused particular interest among master's students who, as highlighted in the logical framework of the Project, will be responsible for conducting field activities. To enable learners to integrate gender into the research methodology, the five Project objectives were analyzed to determine areas for change. It became clear during the group discussions that the change had to be focused on raising awareness among women on gender issues on the assumption that this would change the situation of this vulnerable category in the Congo Basin with regard to migration and conflicts linked to climate change.

The engaging discussion and activities illustrated the need for deeper discussion, especially with mastery learners, who are enthusiastic and curious. However, the language aspect remained a challenge in establishing a good understanding of the main concepts around gender, with communication during training being done in English as highlighted in the Report of the training of trainers workshop on the issues gender and research ethics. Hence the relevance of seeking local expertise on gender and social issues.