GESI-IWM: A Learning Brief for Guiding Establishment and Early Implementation

This learning brief is designed to provide a pathway for establishing a gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) approach to integrated water management (IWM). IWM is a multi-stakeholder collaborative and adaptive water planning and management approach that is designed to optimise water servicing outcomes for liveability, sustainability and resilience (ie. climate resilience) by considering a “whole-of-water cycle” approach that brings together all stakeholders in the broader water cycle that both manage and experience water servicing.

Incorporating a GESI approach ensures that the experiences, needs and capacities of society’s most vulnerable are represented in these water planning and management processes to ensure outcomes are equally accessible and allow the opportunity for all to benefit from them and thrive.

This learning brief was produced through the Water for Women Innovation and Impact (I&I) research project, Integrated Water Management Action Research. The I&I project involved collaboration between Yayasan Plan International Indonesia, Plan International Australia and the Monash Sustainable Development Institute to establish an inclusive IWM forum and agenda that promotes universal access to WASH in Sumbawa, Indonesia.