The benefit of taking a gender lens on water supply systems in Nepal

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The Gender Position Bar activity showcased that women still do more of the housework, especially in relation to water. The participants discussed that the more household work reduces their social, technical and financial opportunities.

The Gender Position Bar activity showcased that women still do more of the housework, especially in relation to water. The participants discussed that this reduces women's social, technical and financial opportunities (IWMI).

 

Our thanks to research partners, the International Water Management Institute for this reflection o their project in partnership with the Everest Club, Bagmati Sewa Samaj and SNV Nepal, exploring a gender perspective to understand and enhance the functionality of water supply systems: lessons from Nepal.

 

Where we started

At the start of this project, we set out to respond to the call for greater attention to power relationships, considering the wider political context in which the functionality of water systems shape or reproduce unequal access to water services. We also wanted to address a gap in current approaches to women’s empowerment in the development sector, where the focus for research and practices has been on strengthening women’s individual empowerment, with inadequate attention given to collective action. To address these two gaps, we investigated the linkages between gender and collective action in the WASH sector.

 

“We [Dalits] are included in the Gaupalika because of Sanghiyata [federalism]. However, we are ignored in decision-making. Our chairperson's decisions matter the most. We don't know the decisions; he does not consult us. The situation would not be like that if we would have Dalit Adhakchya [Chairperson]” 

Interviewee, Dailekh

 

The project

The overall research objective of the project was to enhance the knowledge of relevant stakeholders on how gendered power relationships affect the functionality and sustainability of water supply systems. The project examined how better gender programming might improve the outcomes of water supply interventions.

The IWMI utilised three approaches of research engagement and uptake throughout the project. These were producing scientific evidence, engaging with local WASH governance, and engaging with policy and practice. In terms of evidence, we led a study involving a survey of 600 households and additional qualitative inquiries conducted in four rural municipalities – two each in Dailekh and Sarlahi districts – in Nepal.

We generated research outputs and inclusive tools for WASH programs including technical and policy briefs, a Participatory Gender Training Manual (PGTM), Community Participatory Videos, radio dialogues, and guidelines. The technical and policy briefs and participatory videos reveal that access to water is not easy in rural areas, both in the hills and in the plains called Tarai, particularly for financially and socially marginalised people, women and people with disabilities.

 

 Technical Brief Key Messages:

  • Water User Groups (WUGs) are supposed to be exemplary of community participation. However, meetings held by these groups were usually attended by the head of the household (90% men, overall), while the participation of female household members was found to be quite low.
  • Rapid male out-migration increases the work done by women (household duties and agricultural activities), which could lead to their decreased participation in community decision-making platforms.
  • Women from migrant households claimed that, even if they had sufficient funds to purchase pipes to access water from smaller sources within the village, they did not have the technical knowledge needed to construct the pipes.
  • Payment of water fees is also a challenge for poorer communities.

 

For governance, we collaborated with local stakeholders to create four radio dialogues at the rural municipality level, and the eight videos and one documentary. We also facilitated PGTM training for diverse participants including CSOs, local government and WASH programmers.

Under engaging with policy and practice, we engaged with a wider set of stakeholders to take up the project outputs such as the gender training manual and community participatory videos. Following a courtesy meeting at the Department of Water Sanitation and Sewerage Management (DWSSM), a PGTM training was organised in the IWMI office, with officials from DWSSM capacity building and training unit, Nepal Karnali Water Activity-a flagship WASH project of USAID, and SNV Nepal personnel. During the meeting, the PGTM was presented and the GESI lead from the Karnali Water Activity project remarked that the PGTM would be utilised in the project's activities.

While the research process had to be adapted to the unprecedented situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as adapting to online meetings, the team with the support of local governments and leaders from rural municipalities, was able to achieve all project ouputs.

 

Where we are now

Our research found that the context for inclusive WASH in Nepal is challenging, but that there is an opportunity to take a gender approach and strengthen WASH programs. We developed the gender training manual to create reflective, safe and informal spaces for men and women to discuss gender roles and norms in the context of WASH.

IWMI collaborated and engaged with CSOs, government and local partner organisations throughout the project including orientation to the gender training manual that we developed. The manual was also used to train staff and public officers of the rural municipalities, community leaders and other stakeholders. This enables our local partner organisations to use the training manual in their future programs. We continue to implement and encourage further rollout of the outputs.

The project outputs include:  

 

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