b'Gender Equality for Water & Food Security Photo: Keynote Speaker Kusum AthukoralaModerated by Mary Muia, President of the SoroptimistKusum Athukoraladiscussedwatershortageandtheneed InternationaI(SI)FutureAfricaFederation,Keynoteto look at how we manage water and how to prepare for the Speaker, Kusum Athukorala, Chair of NetWater, Sri Lankachallenges that lie ahead. She spoke of women as the foot and Sri Lanka Water Partnership, joined Plenary Speak- soldiers of future climate change adaptation, placing extreme ers: SI President, Mariet Verhoef-Cohen; Dr. Rajiv Bhanot,importanceontheempowermentofwomenthroughin-Founder & Managing Director of H2GO Global; and, Re- creased knowledge and capacity building, asking how will we nukaIndrarajah,CorporateAffairsandLegalDirectorbe ready? Kusum underlined the seemingly insurmountable of Heineken Malaysia Berhad and Trustee of the Sparkissue of turning talk into action in respect of water - explaining Foundation, to discuss the interlinkages betweenthat although the global risk and the necessity for action is gender,water,andfoodsecurity,withclimatechangewidely understood, there seems to be a lack of traction when highlighted as a root cause of many of the challengesit comes to commitment and policy, particularly in reference affecting communities.to including the needs of women.Photo: Moderator Mary Muia 6'