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,and Utilities
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CHAIR AND PANELISTS
CHAIR:
• , , ,Asian Development Bank
PANELISTS1:
• nne ar er, Managing Director, City West Water, Australia
• Rodora Gamboa, General Manager, Davao City Water District, Philippines
• Esther de Jong, Deputy
Director,
Gender
and
Water
Alliance,
The
Netherlands
• Nargiza Ta ipova, Portfolio Management Officer (Social Sector), ADB, Uzbekistan
• Phomma Veoravanh, Project Director, Department of Housing and Urban
Planning, Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Lao PDR
1Galina Stulina, former project manager, Gender and Water Network in Central Asia, Uzbekistan isunable to attend but has shared her views on the topic and issues.
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THE SESSION TEAM
ANCHORS:
• Anupma Jain, Social Sector Specialist, Southeast Asia Department, ADB
• Imrana Ja a , Senior Social Development Specialist (Gender and Development),
Regional and
Sustainable
Development
Department,
ADB
SPECIAL THANKS:
• Dennis von Custodio, Venue Coordinator; Sonomi Tanaka, Principal Social
Development Specialist (Gender & Development); Jennifer Francis, Senior Staff
Development Specialist;
Michael White,
Urban
Development
Specialist;
Mekhri Khudayberdiyeva, Social and Gender Development Adviser; Water Crisis and Choices Conference Team, including Bob Hood (Event Facilitator), Connie Garcia (Event Coordinator), Ellen Pascua, RosetteKapunan‐
Ong, Marc Corazon Ebarvia, Gladys Franco, Juan Paolo Aglahian, Cezar Tigno, Gino
Pascua; and many other colleagues which
we
do
not
have
room
to
mention
by name!
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SESSION OVERVIEW
• The session highlights present practices of utilities with
women as:
Informed consumers;
and
Employees, managers and leaders.
• Discussions will cover specific issues in women and water
and provide
possible
solutions.
• Discussions will also focus on the implications of gender equity and women’s empowerment for utilities as they seek
, operations.
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“WATER FOR ALL”
• UN resolution recognizes access to clean water and
sanitation as a human right.
• National socioeconomic development plans highlight the importance of water and sanitation, including its
impact on improved health, economic productivity and
overall well
‐being.
• Increases pressure on governments and organizations
to scale up efforts to provide safe, accessible and
a or a e
r n ng wa er
an
san a on
or
a .
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UTILITIES ARE BUSINESSES
• Utilities are learning to be better managers of water resources
and service roviders.
• Piped and
treated
water
is
a commodity.
range of factors.
• The rice utilities char e consumers is
influenced by factors not under their control.
determines the level of profit or loss
for a utility.
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“WATER FOR ALL”
VIEWS ON SOCIAL EQUITY
• Do water utilities have a responsibility to adhere to social equ y pr nc p es n e way ey run e r us nesses or prov e
access to
water
supply?
•
of social equity?
• Do utilities see social e uit as a wider social issue that is best
left to the Government departments responsible for social
welfare to solve while they get on with the everyday task of
deliverin water?
• Is there a trade‐off?
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OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES
Is it possible to strike a balance?
Operate
efficiently
Providequality,
reliable andan efinanciallysustainablei.e.
a or a ewater to allpopulation
rou s in its
profitable) service area.
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WOMEN IN THE SECTOR
• Women are water users and managers of
households
and
communities.
•
price, supply and quality of water.
• They comprise more than 50% of the total population.
They are
an
important
clientele and
valuable human resource.
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UTILITIES ARE BUSINESSES:
• Utilities are often viewed as a men’s domain. It
contains a lot of gadgets and tools ‐ machines,
pipes, engines, construction, controls, and so on.
• Current male leadership in utilities fails to
to provide access to the poor.
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WOMEN IN THE SECTOR
BENEFITS TO UTILITIES
• What are the current experiences in engaging
women n t e water sector as:
Informed consumers, and
mp oyees, managers an ea ers n ut t es
• What are
the
cost
and
benefits
to
utilities
of
including women?
• re
ere any
prac ca
case
examp es
a
can
e
shared to illustrate and substantiate this?
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WOMEN IN THE SECTOR
BENEFITS TO UTILITIES
• Some or anizations and utilities think resolvin the
gender issue is a case of tokenism. It asks utilities toput a woman on the Board, one in a senior,
(e.g., costumer service).
gender issues into their daily operations?
think, operation, grow and provide services?
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WOMEN IN THE SECTOR
BENEFITS TO UTILITIES
• In what wa s can overnments
development partners,
communities
hold
utilities accountable for adhering to social
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GENDER AND UTILITIES:
IMPACT ON UTILITY PERFORMANCE
• affected by effective “mainstreaming” of
gender
issues into its daily operation and management?
• Do we have any real proof of impact?
• What are the key issues utilities must consider
before gender issues can be comprehensively and
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GENDER AND UTILITIES:
IMPACT ON UTILITY PERFORMANCE
• Current mantra: If the Government cannot manage water
, , ,
in public‐private partnerships for its water services.
• Current e ie : Women and poor households, especially
woman‐headed households suffer more when such policies and
approaches are adopted. Such policies may trigger a priceincrease in water.
,
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POINTS OF DISCUSSION
• Questions broadly covered the following:
Views on
social
equity
issues
Existing biases (or misconceptions) in utilities
Gender equity and women's empowerment issues in
the sector
adhering to social and gender equity principles
Social and gender issues as they relate back to utility
performance
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