WfWP kicks off at World Water Week 2017 in Stockholm
Understanding the gender dimension of water and waste
Understanding the gender dimension of water and waste
Stockholm, August 27th 2017 - World Water Week is the annual focal point for the globe's water issues, organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). The WWW2017 theme is "water and waste - reduce and reuse". Women for Water Partnership has strongly contributed to the preparation of this year's extensive programme (over 200 sessions) and co-convenes three sessions focusing on the important role of women in water and waste management. WfWP president Mariet Verhoef-Cohen Sunday opened the first session titled "Understanding the gender dimension of water and waste".
Understanding the gender dimension of water and waste. To really get the meaning of that dimension is a challenge in its own right. …..With so little known about the topic, we are breaking into uncharted territory…... |
WfWP President Mariet Verhoef-Cohen delivered the key note speech on the gender dimension of water and waste at WWW 2017
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"I also googled women, water and waste, and found a statement issued by CSW on this year’s World Water, with the title: Why waste women who are working for water sustainability?
And, I learned that “Women shaving their legs waste 50 billion litres of water a year”. Did you know that?
Since gender is about the relationship between men and women, I also searched for men, water and waste, and to my surprise, found quite a lot of information on the decreasing fertility of sperm due to chemicals in our drinking water, and how male bodies are changing shape due to female hormones in the water. How fascinating! ….And what a great example of how water and waste water impact differently on men and women!
I was asked to talk about the connection between SDG 5 and SDG 6, or.....Why “water” supports women, and women support water… and I am very pleased to do so today.
I would like to begin by addressing the connection generally - then zoom in on waste water, or in other words, SDG target 6.3, as we go.
Women and Water are deeply connected. In many countries women are responsible for fetching clean drinking water for the family, getting water to grow vegetables, caring for family members who are ill because of having to drink dirty water, taking care of waste or waste water, and I could go on endlessly.
In 1992 the world was officially informed and served notice that our women are vital in achieving equitable access to water for all. The then adopted Dublin Principles state that women play a central part in the provision, the management, and the safeguarding of water. This was acknowledged and put to paper, for all the world to see, 25 years ago!
And that message is still valid today. If I translate this principle to SDG language: it means combining the implementation of SDG 6 and 5, and ensuring that they strengthen each other.
Why is it important to link SDGs 5 and 6?
Women are key stakeholders in water policies and programmes. However, they are not always recognized as such. AND… Men and women express different priorities and needs. Women play important roles in the preservation of water sources, impacting water scarcity.
Without a safe, uninterrupted, affordable provision of water and gender-responsive sanitation, women’s and girls’ health is at risk. So, the quality of the water resources is vital. Not only for controlling water-borne diseases, but also because many women are devoting much, much time, taking care of patients suffering from such diseases- even more time than it takes to fetch the water! Time, which otherwise could be spent on economic endeavours, education, or other productive activities.
So, why are there barriers when it comes is fully involving women in water management?
For one, there is a clear divide that separates domestic water use from other productive uses. Women, typically, use water for the household, for subsistence farming, and for other non-income-producing uses, all of which, broadly, are an extension of their domestic roles. Women handle a massive payload of love tasks; caring for others, fetching drinking water, feeding the family; and the list goes on. All those tasks are unpaid, meaning that their contribution is not visible and often, not recognized.
Two: Water management, typically, is regarded as a technology-driven industry, and for generations, technology was perceived as “not a woman’s business”! Even women themselves have come to believe this. Despite their pivotal role in this vital, life sustaining, primary industry, they face a glass ceiling when it comes to active involvement in water management, access to vocational training etc.. As if by magic, women’s time-honoured, key role in the survival and prospering of communities vanishes, or is ignored as soon as “modern” facilities or “advanced” management ideas are proposed.
Next….Across the globe there are millions of water-related jobs. According to last year’s World Water Development Report, women hold only 17% of paid jobs in the water sector. The reasons why women are lagging behind in this sector are linked to values and beliefs as concerning the position and role of women. For example, a woman may be perceived as unsuitable for field work, due to an unsafe working environment. Social and cultural barriers may prevent women from having careers, or becoming influential in the water sector....and I dare say, in many other sectors.
The role of women as water professionals and/ or traditional water managers does not sufficiently come to the fore. Projects managed by women are often not recognized as contributing to IWRM. Infrastructure is not being maintained as a result of those women (those being “left behind”) not receiving adequate training.
If and when issues have been addressed their focus far has been on WASH, and at the household level. The impact of insufficient water, both in terms of quality and quantity - or too much water – however, has visible regional and global implications. In some areas, for example, ongoing droughts have led to (young) men leaving their communities for the cities, and their exodus has seen many more single parent female headed households struggling to cope, as well as leading to food shortages and nutrition issues.
Is the situation different, specifically from a waste water perspective.. in other words SDG target 6.3 :
As noted, it is difficult to get supportive data about gender and waste water, while it is generally recognised that waste water has different impacts on men and women. I already mentioned the example of the deterioration of sperm quality caused by hormones in drinking water. Women, following from their responsibilities for water and food in the household, by comparison, are more in touch physically with water and waste water than men. Also, and very important, they are in charge of grey water or wastewater use impacting the health of women.
According to the latest WWD Report “Waste water the untapped resource” it is estimated that well over 80 per cent of all wastewater produced worldwide is released into the environment without treatment. The consequences are alarming. In 2012, for example, over 800,000 deaths worldwide were caused by contaminated drinking water, inadequate handwashing facilities, or inappropriate sanitation services.
As early as 1989 the WHO warned of the health hazards associated with direct and indirect wastewater-use in a variety of ways: rural health and safety issues for those working on the land, and for those living on or near the land where the waste water is being used,… which, as reported, are often women ... and the risk of contaminated products from areas where wastewater is used, infecting humans or animals through consumption. Currently around 20% of the world’s food supply is grown by using untreated wastewater. Moreover, this trend is rising due to global water scarcity. Women are exposed to adverse health effects.
This is a serious problem and it must be addressed.
The latest WWD Report also shows very clearly that there are multiple opportunities in improved waste water management as a key component of a circular economy. This is preciously needed in a world where water scarcity increases daily. Waste water is a rich source of nutrients, minerals and energy. Are women making use of those opportunities?
Once again, it is difficult to obtain informative data. I did come across one example of Jordan. Jordan is a drought stricken country where rural women play a key role in both on and off-farm activities. This is particularly the case in ecologically fragile areas, where women are increasingly taking responsibility for their families’ day-to-day survival. These women have to regularly adapt their farming practices to soil moisture conditions, which are dependent on changing climate and soil conditions. Where women's survival strategies have led to soil erosion those farming practices have acted as a major source of watershed instability. However, these women do know what it takes to cope with water scarcity. They know the location, reliability, and quality of local water resources. They collect water, store it, and control its use , they recycle water, using gray water for irrigation, and run-off water for livestock. The women make maximum and multiple uses of water sources, and attempt to assure that those sources are not polluted. In a word, they see to it that all water, including waste water, is used efficiently and sustainably. Therefore, it is essential – and good common sense- that women should be included from day one in water and waste water management projects. This is true for the entire SDG 6 goal, which brings me back to the connection between SDG 5 and 6 in general.
What can be done to improve the situation?
Women’s professional and traditional roles represent a significant social capital that can and should be used for effecting the much needed change in (waste) water governance for social and economic development and environmental integrity, to build bridges between stakeholders, and to bring about cross-sectoral and transboundary exchanges and cooperation. Women are experts, leaders and agents of change and perform an important role in achieving equitable access to water for all and all uses, including sanitary.
Therefore, it is both effective and sensible to ensure that women participate in all levels of decision making, and it helps to set quota. For example, at least 40% women in water governing bodies, where their voices must not only be heard, but acted upon. We want women to stand up and be counted, but it is even more important that these women raise their voices and demand attention!
It is equally effective and sensible to involve women in designing, implementing, and evaluating programs and projects in the area of water and sustainable development. This translates as: allocating sufficient means and budget, for example, for empowerment, capacity development, vocational training, career enhancement and institutional arrangements, to equip these women for their proper roles. This is, in fact, a precondition for effective participation, and finances should reach them directly.
There is an increasing shortage of qualified, trained professionals. Vacancies in the water sector cannot be filled, and we cannot expect to achieve SDG 6 with the current capacity of human resources. Let’s create the conditions and start developing new curricula at different levels of vocational training, not only for girls, but also including adult women to fill the gap.
We must combine the implementation of SDG 5 on women empowerment and SDG 6, the dedicated water goal, in our national action plans. This will not happen automatically; we will need to influence the policymakers and budget holders. In many countries women and water issues are considered a priority; in practice, however, there is little “horizontal” coordination between the two. We are often faced with different ministries, different advisors, and different mechanisms, not only at country level but also in the UN.
It is importance to collect good, relevant data and to look at water access and uses through the lenses of both women and men, in order to realistically monitor the implementation of the SDGs.. The impacts are different for both sexes, and this is true for water needs and uses alike. This must happen at all levels, including the highest global reporting level, in order to prevent consolidation where data are treated generally, at risk of losing valuable insights from disaggregated data, for policy purposes. Methodologies like gender-budgeting can be useful tools.
As a global network of women from all walks of life, Women for Water Partnership considers access to and control over water as key factors for women’s empowerment and equality. This includes both water and waste water, not only for domestic purposes, but also for productive uses. Hence, we continue to push for a strong link between SDGs 5 and 6.
It is clear that we need to know more about the connections between gender, waste, and water. This seminar sheds light on the topic, and will help us develop a more in-depth understanding so we can reduce present inequalities and ensure that women’s expertise and skills in the area of water in general, and waste water specifically, are taken seriously to improve our water and waste management systems."
Mariet Verhoef-Cohen
President Women for Water Partnership
And, I learned that “Women shaving their legs waste 50 billion litres of water a year”. Did you know that?
Since gender is about the relationship between men and women, I also searched for men, water and waste, and to my surprise, found quite a lot of information on the decreasing fertility of sperm due to chemicals in our drinking water, and how male bodies are changing shape due to female hormones in the water. How fascinating! ….And what a great example of how water and waste water impact differently on men and women!
I was asked to talk about the connection between SDG 5 and SDG 6, or.....Why “water” supports women, and women support water… and I am very pleased to do so today.
I would like to begin by addressing the connection generally - then zoom in on waste water, or in other words, SDG target 6.3, as we go.
Women and Water are deeply connected. In many countries women are responsible for fetching clean drinking water for the family, getting water to grow vegetables, caring for family members who are ill because of having to drink dirty water, taking care of waste or waste water, and I could go on endlessly.
In 1992 the world was officially informed and served notice that our women are vital in achieving equitable access to water for all. The then adopted Dublin Principles state that women play a central part in the provision, the management, and the safeguarding of water. This was acknowledged and put to paper, for all the world to see, 25 years ago!
And that message is still valid today. If I translate this principle to SDG language: it means combining the implementation of SDG 6 and 5, and ensuring that they strengthen each other.
Why is it important to link SDGs 5 and 6?
Women are key stakeholders in water policies and programmes. However, they are not always recognized as such. AND… Men and women express different priorities and needs. Women play important roles in the preservation of water sources, impacting water scarcity.
Without a safe, uninterrupted, affordable provision of water and gender-responsive sanitation, women’s and girls’ health is at risk. So, the quality of the water resources is vital. Not only for controlling water-borne diseases, but also because many women are devoting much, much time, taking care of patients suffering from such diseases- even more time than it takes to fetch the water! Time, which otherwise could be spent on economic endeavours, education, or other productive activities.
So, why are there barriers when it comes is fully involving women in water management?
For one, there is a clear divide that separates domestic water use from other productive uses. Women, typically, use water for the household, for subsistence farming, and for other non-income-producing uses, all of which, broadly, are an extension of their domestic roles. Women handle a massive payload of love tasks; caring for others, fetching drinking water, feeding the family; and the list goes on. All those tasks are unpaid, meaning that their contribution is not visible and often, not recognized.
Two: Water management, typically, is regarded as a technology-driven industry, and for generations, technology was perceived as “not a woman’s business”! Even women themselves have come to believe this. Despite their pivotal role in this vital, life sustaining, primary industry, they face a glass ceiling when it comes to active involvement in water management, access to vocational training etc.. As if by magic, women’s time-honoured, key role in the survival and prospering of communities vanishes, or is ignored as soon as “modern” facilities or “advanced” management ideas are proposed.
Next….Across the globe there are millions of water-related jobs. According to last year’s World Water Development Report, women hold only 17% of paid jobs in the water sector. The reasons why women are lagging behind in this sector are linked to values and beliefs as concerning the position and role of women. For example, a woman may be perceived as unsuitable for field work, due to an unsafe working environment. Social and cultural barriers may prevent women from having careers, or becoming influential in the water sector....and I dare say, in many other sectors.
The role of women as water professionals and/ or traditional water managers does not sufficiently come to the fore. Projects managed by women are often not recognized as contributing to IWRM. Infrastructure is not being maintained as a result of those women (those being “left behind”) not receiving adequate training.
If and when issues have been addressed their focus far has been on WASH, and at the household level. The impact of insufficient water, both in terms of quality and quantity - or too much water – however, has visible regional and global implications. In some areas, for example, ongoing droughts have led to (young) men leaving their communities for the cities, and their exodus has seen many more single parent female headed households struggling to cope, as well as leading to food shortages and nutrition issues.
Is the situation different, specifically from a waste water perspective.. in other words SDG target 6.3 :
As noted, it is difficult to get supportive data about gender and waste water, while it is generally recognised that waste water has different impacts on men and women. I already mentioned the example of the deterioration of sperm quality caused by hormones in drinking water. Women, following from their responsibilities for water and food in the household, by comparison, are more in touch physically with water and waste water than men. Also, and very important, they are in charge of grey water or wastewater use impacting the health of women.
According to the latest WWD Report “Waste water the untapped resource” it is estimated that well over 80 per cent of all wastewater produced worldwide is released into the environment without treatment. The consequences are alarming. In 2012, for example, over 800,000 deaths worldwide were caused by contaminated drinking water, inadequate handwashing facilities, or inappropriate sanitation services.
As early as 1989 the WHO warned of the health hazards associated with direct and indirect wastewater-use in a variety of ways: rural health and safety issues for those working on the land, and for those living on or near the land where the waste water is being used,… which, as reported, are often women ... and the risk of contaminated products from areas where wastewater is used, infecting humans or animals through consumption. Currently around 20% of the world’s food supply is grown by using untreated wastewater. Moreover, this trend is rising due to global water scarcity. Women are exposed to adverse health effects.
This is a serious problem and it must be addressed.
The latest WWD Report also shows very clearly that there are multiple opportunities in improved waste water management as a key component of a circular economy. This is preciously needed in a world where water scarcity increases daily. Waste water is a rich source of nutrients, minerals and energy. Are women making use of those opportunities?
Once again, it is difficult to obtain informative data. I did come across one example of Jordan. Jordan is a drought stricken country where rural women play a key role in both on and off-farm activities. This is particularly the case in ecologically fragile areas, where women are increasingly taking responsibility for their families’ day-to-day survival. These women have to regularly adapt their farming practices to soil moisture conditions, which are dependent on changing climate and soil conditions. Where women's survival strategies have led to soil erosion those farming practices have acted as a major source of watershed instability. However, these women do know what it takes to cope with water scarcity. They know the location, reliability, and quality of local water resources. They collect water, store it, and control its use , they recycle water, using gray water for irrigation, and run-off water for livestock. The women make maximum and multiple uses of water sources, and attempt to assure that those sources are not polluted. In a word, they see to it that all water, including waste water, is used efficiently and sustainably. Therefore, it is essential – and good common sense- that women should be included from day one in water and waste water management projects. This is true for the entire SDG 6 goal, which brings me back to the connection between SDG 5 and 6 in general.
What can be done to improve the situation?
Women’s professional and traditional roles represent a significant social capital that can and should be used for effecting the much needed change in (waste) water governance for social and economic development and environmental integrity, to build bridges between stakeholders, and to bring about cross-sectoral and transboundary exchanges and cooperation. Women are experts, leaders and agents of change and perform an important role in achieving equitable access to water for all and all uses, including sanitary.
Therefore, it is both effective and sensible to ensure that women participate in all levels of decision making, and it helps to set quota. For example, at least 40% women in water governing bodies, where their voices must not only be heard, but acted upon. We want women to stand up and be counted, but it is even more important that these women raise their voices and demand attention!
It is equally effective and sensible to involve women in designing, implementing, and evaluating programs and projects in the area of water and sustainable development. This translates as: allocating sufficient means and budget, for example, for empowerment, capacity development, vocational training, career enhancement and institutional arrangements, to equip these women for their proper roles. This is, in fact, a precondition for effective participation, and finances should reach them directly.
There is an increasing shortage of qualified, trained professionals. Vacancies in the water sector cannot be filled, and we cannot expect to achieve SDG 6 with the current capacity of human resources. Let’s create the conditions and start developing new curricula at different levels of vocational training, not only for girls, but also including adult women to fill the gap.
We must combine the implementation of SDG 5 on women empowerment and SDG 6, the dedicated water goal, in our national action plans. This will not happen automatically; we will need to influence the policymakers and budget holders. In many countries women and water issues are considered a priority; in practice, however, there is little “horizontal” coordination between the two. We are often faced with different ministries, different advisors, and different mechanisms, not only at country level but also in the UN.
It is importance to collect good, relevant data and to look at water access and uses through the lenses of both women and men, in order to realistically monitor the implementation of the SDGs.. The impacts are different for both sexes, and this is true for water needs and uses alike. This must happen at all levels, including the highest global reporting level, in order to prevent consolidation where data are treated generally, at risk of losing valuable insights from disaggregated data, for policy purposes. Methodologies like gender-budgeting can be useful tools.
As a global network of women from all walks of life, Women for Water Partnership considers access to and control over water as key factors for women’s empowerment and equality. This includes both water and waste water, not only for domestic purposes, but also for productive uses. Hence, we continue to push for a strong link between SDGs 5 and 6.
It is clear that we need to know more about the connections between gender, waste, and water. This seminar sheds light on the topic, and will help us develop a more in-depth understanding so we can reduce present inequalities and ensure that women’s expertise and skills in the area of water in general, and waste water specifically, are taken seriously to improve our water and waste management systems."
Mariet Verhoef-Cohen
President Women for Water Partnership
