Initial Insights: Water and Gender in Africa


When deciding on what aspect of water and development in Africa I wanted to explore in this blog, I gravitated to the subtopic of ‘gender’. As a woman, I find topics surrounding gender inequality and female empowerment intriguing; viewing social matters through a feminist lens. Thus, I think this blog will be a suitable opportunity to view physical discussions of water alongside a social impact perspective, searching for links and providing more clarity between gender & water.



A sustainable future?


A pertinent place to start may be the 2030 sustainable development goals: 17 goals set out by the United Nations to lead all countries to a more sustainable and developed future. What has always stuck out to me is the question of ‘What is the most important SDG?’ or maybe the question is ‘If there is even a most important one?’. Whilst the main goal is ‘No Poverty’, some have argued that clean water and sanitation is perhaps most vital for a sustainable future (Lampert & Papadongonas, 2016). However, I pose the significance of achieving SDG 5 (gender equality), and I hope this blog seeks to prove that. 



Figure.1: Consequences when women cannot access clean water, Africa



WASH & Women


There are links between water, sanitation and gender equality when discussing hygiene amongst women and girls in Africa. Each year, 1 million fatalities occur due to unsanitary births, including 11% mortality rates of mothers. Additionally, the crisis of period poverty poses serious threats to the health and wellbeing of women and girls in Africa when their WASH needs are not met. Ultimately, a recognition of these female hygiene dilemmas must be considered when speaking about water in Africa which I will unpack further in upcoming blog posts.  



Gender Constructs across Cultures


Nevertheless, we must bear in mind that disparities between male and female access and management of water resources through gender roles are attributed to cultural norms. Kameri-Mbote speaks accordingly on how women are left out of decision making in regards to water resource use. Women often lack access and control to land, so whilst they may physically collect water, the men of the household run the logistics, leaving women out from key participation and engagement in water management (Kameri-Mbote et al, 2015). Although, I can point towards examples of small scale water resource provisions which include women in decision making - such as in Nairobi, 'The Maji Bora Kibera', more must be done to promote female empowerment. This is not to say we must impose western ideals and change any cultural traditions in Africa, but more to close equality and participation gaps between the genders.



At the core of what I am studying through these series of posts is that water resource and usage distribution in Africa disproportionately affects women and girls. Therefore, I will not seek to simplify out some of these issues, but rather explain them further and bring to light more of the technicalities as to why gender is a crucial perspective to be looking through.


Comments

  1. Charlotte Sheridan Tray15 November 2023 at 04:40

    Hello Elizabeth, I really enjoyed this first post! I particularly enjoyed you explaining the approaches you will be taking to this extensive topic and your positionality within this, very insightful. Really looking forward to see where you go next with this topic! Do you personally think that the SDG's are a useful metric when referring to gender and water?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Elizabeth Wales20 November 2023 at 08:50

      Hi Charlotte, thanks so much for your comment! I'm glad you found the post insightful, I really appreciate you taking the time to read it. Personally, I would say that I think the SDGs are useful insofar that they provide targets and measurable goals for global development. When speaking about both gender and water alongside one another, they can be helpful to see what links certain issues. However, the SDGs are not enough on their own to get a rounded picture of 'gender' and 'water' inequalities, so I would say they act more as a guide and basis when analysing these topics.

      Delete
  2. Safiyah19 November 2023 at 15:33

    Wow, Elizabeth, I really enjoyed reading this post. The infographic you used about the impacts of the lack of access to clean water really helped me realise more about the repercussions of water insecurity for women, which I didn't understand fully before this. I was wondering what you think are some of the key changes that you think need to happen to help address the various issues related to water and gender in Africa.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Elizabeth Wales23 November 2023 at 04:37

      Thanks so much for taking the time to engage with my post, Safiyah! Interesting question too, I think there are a multitude of things that must change in order to create gender equality and deal with the water issues that come with it. I think one of the crucial starting points may be giving women space to have their perspective in water management systems, but also for the wider society to recognise that women have different and specific WASH needs in comparison to men. In my later posts I will analyse other suggestions for what needs to change!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Menstrual Cup as a 'Development Device': Empowering Solutions to End Period Poverty

Image
I establish in my previous post the urgency to prioritise women's reproductive health. As  period poverty is a global issue regardless, a lack of equal access to water and sanitation facilities for women in parts of Africa, makes an already tough situation, much worse. Figure 1: UN Women, 2019 As a woman living in the UK, concerns surrounding our period tend not to be about finding clean, running water. Or if we can find a sanitary, safe toilet. Therefore, westernised minds must be careful not to inflict a western problem solving approach onto countries with differing social requirements. Taking a lesson out of Wainaina's piece on 'How to Write About Africa' , we should think purposefully about Africa in a way that does not make us a removed observer of social issues, nor an unflawed saviour.  "Decolonisation goes beyond diversity and inclusion. It is the commitment to make marginalised communities un-marginalised by recognising them as part of the whole and welcom...
Read more

Response to The International Water Association's Webinar on International Women's Day 2023

Image
International Women's Day 2023 rested on the agenda of ' Embrace Equity '. Equity, that ' equal opportunities aren't enough '; more work must be done to close the gender gap in order to reach SDG 5 of gender equality.   The International Water Association (IWA) held their annual International Women's Day webinar series this year, addressing the role of African women working in the WASH sector. 5 speakers from 5 different countries (Fig.1) spoke openly, honestly and motivatingly about their career experiences. Figure.1: speakers for the IWA webinar This webinar sparked contemplation and really allowed me to hone in on the importance of listening to female voices. As WASH organisations aim to 'mainstream gender' in their inclusion and equity promises, these women reiterated to me the importance of doing so. Not only that, but a reminder that whilst we must listen to women, we must also remember that not every women's experience is the same ( Ndesa...
Read more

Concluding remarks: Integrating SDGs 5 & 6

Image
We have reached my final post in this series. I have learnt a lot along the way and taken this blog down various avenues, exploring issues of gender inequality in the context of water in Africa. But as I come to my final conclusions, I'd like to remind us of my initial question in my first post, ' which SDG is the most important’? For some, water and sanitation was seen as most crucial ( Lampert & Papadongonas, 2016 ), but I hope my blog has left space for the argument that achieving gender equality is crucial, if not critical, for a sustainable, global future. Gender equality is vital for achieving social cohesion, in order to end gender discrimination. SDG 5 is not only a 'human right', but it is also about the 'visibility' of women. Encouraging female empowerment through all parts of society ( Küfeoğlu, 2022: p.277) . From discussions surrounding period poverty, ideas of decolonising and indigenous knowledge. To sexism within the WASH workplace and how wo...
Read more