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Involving women in water development can go a long way: a few examples from around the world
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Burkina Faso
Land ownership and economic independence
 A recent study in Dakiri, Burkina Faso shows that allocating smaller plots to men and women separately instead of allocating larger plots to household heads has produced both higher yields and social benefits. When both men and women have irrigated plots, the productivity of irrigated land and labour is higher than in households where only men have plots. Women are equally good or even better irrigation farmers than men, and those who have obtained irrigated plots are proud of their increased ability to contribute to the needs of their households. Women prefer to contribute to their households by working on their own plots rather than providing additional labor to their spouse's or to the collective plots. As they become economically less dependent upon their husbands, they can help support their relatives and increase their own opportunities for individual accumulation of wealth in the form of livestock. The effects of having an individual plot significantly improve the bargaining position of a woman within a household and are a source of pride in the household and the community.
Provided by the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), based on OECD/DAC, DAC. 1998. Guidelines for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Development Cooperation. Paris, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Sewukan community of Magelan District, Java, Indonesia: Altering the dynamics of gender relations
 The participation of women in the evaluation of eleven water systems in their community has affected gender relations in several ways:
Recognising power. Initially, the kepaladusun (sub-village head) had considered the consultation of women on technical design and workmanship of the water systems a waste of time because “women know nothing about such things”. However, his views and those of the other men changed when a group of women came up with very concrete design errors in the water systems such as a poor ratio of cement to sand in concrete mixing and an entry point for the water pipes in the reservoirs that was too low. By contrast, the men’s group made only general remarks, such as a lack of training. The experience led the kepaladusun to make the culturally unusual remark in public that the women had provided more useful technical observations than the men. When the men presented their outcomes in the plenary meeting (women and men alternated in presentations, beginning with the men), they presented only the women’s findings. When a man in the audience asked: “But what about our findings?” everyone laughed.
Applying power. The women’s own evaluation of the design and quality of the existing services also served to put two of their urgent needs on the agenda for the new water supply: better distribution of domestic water and the addition of sanitation to the project. Because the community already had eleven small domestic water supplies, the male leaders had assumed that there was no need for a twelfth system. They had therefore decided that the new water supply would be used for irrigation. The women’s evaluation of the water quantity then showed that, while all households had access, the distribution of water throughout the community was unequal, and therefore changes were needed.
Sharing power. Throughout this process, the women had become aware that they all shared the same water and sanitation problems. Although they were organized and held women’s meetings, they said that they had not previously discussed anything other than social and religious issues. In the assembly where they presented their findings along with the men, they stated that they wanted to set up committees in each of the six community neighbourhoods to participate in the design of the new water supply and monitor the contractors on their quality of construction. The male leaders supported this idea.
Provided by the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), based on Wijk, C. 2001 The Best of Two Worlds? Methodology for Participatory Assessment of Community Water Services. Technical Paper Series 38, International Water and Sanitation Centre (IRC).
Tanzania
Empowering women also improves the coastal environment
 On the Tanga Coast of Tanzania men fish and women catch small shrimps and plant rice. Men also plant crops, coconuts and cashew nuts, that can be sold for cash. Up to 1996, women were thus among the poorest people in the villages and owned and controlled few resources.
A study commissioned by the Tanzanian Government and the World Conservation Union was part of an effort to help local people find more sustainable ways to use their coastal environment and protect the mangroves, which are vital for the protection of freshwater resources.
Initially, the women did not attend meetings. Special meetings were thus held to analyze both the causes of their lack of participation and the consequences. The women listed a number of reasons for their absence: the men would not listen to them so they did not want to waste their valuable time; the meetings occurred at times that were not suitable for them; they were not properly informed about the meetings. After receiving assurances that the men would listen to them, the women finally agreed to attend the meetings.
Women are now planning, monitoring and evaluating activities and actively participating in the formulation of a fisheries management agreement. Illegal mangrove cutting and destructive fishing practices, including dynamite fishing, have already been reduced through the enforcement efforts of the villagers themselves, and there is a voluntary mangrove replanting and weeding programme.
Despite the potential conflict between the gender equity objective and the objective of reducing fishing pressure by developing alternative livelihoods, the programme has had positive results. In the pilot villages, both the environmental committees and village management committees are more gender balanced. Levels of gender awareness, participation and motivation have increased women's self-confidence and some are now actively participating in typical male activities such as village patrols. The situation has improved gradually as the women have gained self-confidence after participating in training courses, workshops, and study tours and seeing the results of their activities.
Proposed by the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), based on Ingen, T. van and Kawau, C. Undated. Involvement of Women in Planning and Management in Tanga, Region, Tanzania. Gland, The World Conservation Union (IUCN).
Information based on:
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How to get involved?
