Turning Challenges into Opportunities Equity, Inclusion and Sustainability in WASH
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Transcript of Turning Challenges into Opportunities Equity, Inclusion and Sustainability in WASH
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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MARGINALIZ
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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! [email protected]
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
Questions?
Thank you!Please take a moment to complete the survey. You can
hang up your phone while taking the survey.
Continue the Conversation: www.SustainableWASH.org