Water
Setting the Stage: Global Trends in Gender and Demand Responsive Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene
A report from the UNESCO Regional Workshop on Women's Participation in Water Management, Pretoria, South Africa, November 1998 which explores the concept of gender in relation to sustainable water supply and sanitation services.
Authors:
J. Francis; C. Van Wijk
Publisher:
IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, 1997
Drawn from the UNESCO Regional Workshop on Women's Participation in Water Management which took place in Pretoria, South Africa in November 1998, this paper explores the concept of gender in relation to sustainable water supply and sanitation (WSS) services. The premise for the workshop was that sustainable development can be enhanced if an equitable, gender-balanced approach is taken in all phases of decision-making, planning, development and management in the WSS sector. The paper initially defines 'sustainable development' and 'a gender-balanced approach', and goes on to illustrate what happens in the sector when a gender approach is not applied. Experiences when it is applied are discussed, as are the lessons which can be drawn from them, both globally and in an African context. Overall recommendations include: a shift from supply-driven to demand-responsive services; programmes should not focus exclusively on men nor on women, since a failure to consider the roles and responsibilities of both genders may prevent men as well as women from participating in areas where they have the requisite capacity and influence.
