Building an equitable future: Women, water, and climate resilience in rural Bhutan

Women like Phub Dem are helping to build a climate-resilient and equitable future in rural Bhutan (SNV / Aiden Dockery )

"It is not the question of if we can do it or not, rather it’s about if we take interest and do it."

Phub Dem, mother of two and trained mason, is speaking from her experience as one of many Bhutanese women who have joined the once male-dominated construction industry in her rural village of Punakha. Traditionally, masonry in rural Bhutan has been considered men’s work, with women limited to auxiliary roles like unskilled labour. But women masons like Phub Dem are challenging gender norms and also driving the transformation for climate-resilient water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) systems in their communities.

Supported by Australia through SNV's Water for Women project, Beyond the Finish Line: Sustainable Sanitation and Hygiene for All, completed in 2022, women trained in masonry are now equipped to support the construction of essential water and sanitation infrastructure in their communities using locally available and cost effective materials.

Like many countries in South Asia, Bhutan is confronting a daunting climate future of floods, droughts, landslides, and glacial lake outbursts, all of which significantly impact WASH services. Climate change effects people in different ways, but a 2022 SNV study found that Bhutanese women, face multiple negative impacts; 71% of women are responsible for unpaid domestic care work, including household water and WASH duties, but are underrepresented in decision-making platforms. Women are not only at the frontlines of climate change, but armed with local knowledge and experience for addressing emerging climate challenges and strengthening community reslience.

Grateful for her masonry training, Phub Dem's work shows how entire communities thrive when women are given equal opportunities to earn, learn and lead. Phub Dem attests to the transformative impact also on her own life.

"The training benefited me a lot.... After the training, I upgraded my toilet and built a concrete storage using the skills I gained. Now I can save money and I am able to make use for other important expenses at home."th attests to the transformative impact her masonry training has had on her own life. "

Water for Women is partnering with SNV to accelerate progress in rural WASH in Dagana, Zhemgang and Trashigang, including mainstreaming of gender equality, disability and social inclusion approaches, through their new project, Towards Climate-Resilient Inclusive WASH Services in Rural Bhutan. This project builds on the successes and achievements of the Beyond the Finish Line project, delivered during the first phase of Water for Women from 2018- 2022.