Access to water: a woman’s right?

Having enough water for food production is a key issue in many countries. As water becomes scarce and food requirements increase, there will be a need to produce more food using less water, to protect the quality of water and the environment, particularly in Africa. To achieve this, it will be necessary to improve women’s access rights to water.

Research from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations looks at the issues facing poor communities, and especially women, trying to ensure access to water. Water is a scarce resource in many countries and water-use decisions are difficult. However, access to water for poor communities is necessary if countries are going to meet the first Millennium Development Goal of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger by 2015.

There are many demands for water in developing countries.

• Irrigation schemes can increase crop production and enable farmers to diversify into higher value crops.
• Rain-fed agriculture relies on moisture preservation measures and water harvesting.
• Aquaculture provides both income and food. Coastal and lake fisheries are sustainable because they do not reduce the water supply and can be combined with other activities.
• Food processing and marketing require water for cooking. These activities provide income in rural and urban areas.
• Using water for cooking and washing places a major burden on supplies and often requires women and children to travel long distances to fetch supplies.

In most parts of the world, women play in key role in these activities. Their knowledge of water conditions and the environment is a vital factor in their ability to provide enough food for their families. However, very few women own land. Only ten percent of female farmers own land in India, Nepal and Thailand (even less in other countries) making it difficult for women to gain access water which is often on other people’s land.

Water shortages can also cause problems. With so competing demands on limited water supplies, many regions need tighter controls over use. One solution would be to raise water prices, which, in theory, encourage more efficient use, but this is unfair on poor people and in fact reduces their access to water.

Policies need to increase poor people’s access to water, especially landless women. This will require strong measures such as:

• Governments must promote the participation of women in water resource management. South Africa has already successfully achieved this.
• Women must become active members of water users associations, including leadership positions.
• Women must have more influence in the planning and management of farm activities.
• Water is needed to restore degraded land. The local knowledge of both men and women can assist this process, along with an understanding of the ways poor people use land.

In many places, customs and laws determine women’s access to water and their role in water-related activities. These can be hard to overcome, but women must have more influence in determining patterns of water use and access. This is very important if this increasingly scarce resource is to be used in the most efficient and productive ways.

Source(s):
‘Water and people – whose right is it?’ Food and Agriculture Organization summary report, 2004 Full document.

Funded by: Food and Agriculture Organization

id21 Research Highlight: 7 April 2005

Further Information:
Gender and Development Service
Gender and Population Division
Sustainable Development Department
Food and Agriculture Organization
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome
Italy

Tel: +39 06 57053932
Fax: +39 06 57052004
Contact the contributor: sd-dimensions@fao.org

SD Dimensions, Food and Agirculture Organization

Gender and Food security, Food and Agriculture Organization

Other related links:
'Increasing women’s role in food security in Africa'

'Land rights in Africa: protecting the interests of vulnerable groups'

'Water and sanitation for all: where are we now?'

'Can water and sanitation services reach low-income communities? Lessons from Africa'

Mainstreaming Gender in Water Management

Gender and Natural Resource Management (KIT)