Turning Challenges into Opportunities: Equity, Inclusion, and Sustainability in WASH

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Conference line: +1 (712) 432-0900Passcode: 663392#  

Jackie Powell

Agua para la SaludWASH Advocates

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Presented by Jackie Powell Agua para la Salud

WHO ARE THE POOREST OF THE POOR?• World Bank’s Answer: less than $1/day• Doesn’t account for: •education•health•access to infrastructure•vulnerability•social exclusion•access to social capital

AGUA PARA LA SALUDNEBAJ, EL QUICHE, GUATEMALA

• Indigenous Ixil• Subsistance

maize farmers• Post-conflict

communities

GEOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT

• Nebaj --- “land of the springs”

• Anti-subversive strategies destroyed water systems in the 1980s

• No infrastructure but lots of water

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONSCircuit Riders • Organize• Educate• Execute• Follow-up

EMERGING SOLUTIONS

• Local Government’s Role• Community Associations

THANK YOU! jpowell@WASHadvocates.org

Eric Stowe

a child’s right

Gretchen Wallace

Global Grassroots

Gender Equality for Sustainable WASH Initiatives

WASH Sustainable Webinar Series

Women travel on average 10-15 km / 6-9 miles daily, spending 8+ hours collecting water.

Girls less than 15 years old are 2 times more likely than boys to collect water.

Lack of safe sanitation facilities at schools for girls during menstruation leads girls to skip school, leading to higher drop-out rates

Gender Inequality in WASH InitiativesWomen travel 10-15 km / 6-9 mi daily, spending 8+ hrs

collecting water Women represent more than one half of those with no

access to safe waterGirls less than 15 yrs old are 2 x more likely than boys to

collect waterLack of sanitation facilities at schools for girls during

menstruation leads to missing class and dropping outWater collection is source of opportunistic sexual

violence, a trigger for domestic violence and opportunity for sexual exploitation of the vulnerable unable to collect

Water-borne disease contributes to infant and maternal mortality rates

Women-lead fewer WASH initiatives than men

Social Impact on Women & GirlsGirls’

responsibility for water collection

and no sanitation facilities at school

Girls miss class and are more

likely to drop out of school

Higher risk of teenage

pregnancy and continued poverty

Vulnerability of adult women with the responsibility of water collection

Persistence of poverty, violence

and sexual exploitation.

Higher infant and maternal mortality

rates

Mothers choose to send girls for

water instead of school

WASH initiatives provide women a sustainable source of income

Women become community leaders and iteratively solve problems or teach others.

Advantages of Women-led WASH Initiatives

Women have knowledge of location, reliability, seasonality and quality of local water sources

Women are responsible for hygiene in the homeWomen with more time can pursue other economic

initiativesWASH initiatives provide women a sustainable source of

incomeWomen will protect access for the most vulnerableGirls with access to sanitation facilities complete more

educationWomen use water access locations as educational and

social service intervention pointsWomen become community leaders, iteratively solve

problems & teach othersEvery $1 invested in WASH yields an economic return of $3

-$34 (WHO)

Policy ChangesMDGs: Make explicit the critical link between

women’s rights, wellbeing and opportunity and their access to water and sanitation facilities.

UNWomen: Consider women’s access to clean water a critical human right that can serve as a potent lever for advancing women’s well-being on many other levels.

Global NGOs and Environmental Agencies: Do not ignore the vested interests of women, and the knowledge base they represent.

National policy: Set goals for gender equity in the design, management, investment and innovation around access, movement, utilization, conservation and treatment of water.

Gender Mainstreaming: Consideration & Inclusion of Women

Consider different needs of and impact on women and men

Seek gender cooperation, inclusion and fairnessEliminate poor and gender inequity in access by

targeting low income areas, addressing technical and financial barriers, collaboration between utilities, CBOs, NGOs

Guarantee equal opportunity for employment, capacity training, educational outreach, decision-making and management of WASH systems

Ensure women and girls benefit economicallyConsider gender in evaluation processes, use sex

disaggregrated monitoring data and disseminate to women

Engagement & Sustainability: Let Women Lead

Use participatory development processes to engage women and girls separately to discuss local WASH issues and priorities

Engage women & girls in issue diagnosis and solution development

Provide WASH education and capacity building for self-selected groups of women change agents

Make financial capital available as grants or partial microfinance

Support women and girls in developing culturally appropriate evaluation metrics and carrying out impact assessments

Incorporate metrics that measure other social impacts on women and girls such as violence, safety, education and economics

Encourage use of water access points as educational and social service intervention points

Build networks for mentorship & exchange, partnerships between local government, NGOs, private sector and local groups

Photo by Laya Madsen www.globalgrassroots.org

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