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Showing posts from January, 2022

#8Concluding Thoughts

If you are reading this, we have reached the end of this series of blogging. Although academically and sometimes emotionally challenging, I have enjoyed teasing out the intricacies and links between water, gender, and development, something which I previously knew very little about. I hope that I have opened your eyes to the realities of water-related issues and how at the forefront of these issues are young girls and women . From compromising their education to ignoring their individual needs and entrapping them into spheres of violence, young girls and women continue to be disproportionately impacted by poor quality and access to water.   However, I have shown that all is not bad; there is light at the end of the tunnel. Contributions from various levels – community led for example, in crafting sanitary products or organisation led like the Peepoo initiative – have helped to tackle issues regarding water and sanitation. Although these alone cannot completely solve school absence...

#7Climate Injustice Is Gender Injustice

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Climate change - maybe the most important factor tying together the challenges of water, gender and development. Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity today with the negative effects being experienced by all countries, especially those in the Sahel region. In countries such as Nigeria, Uganda, Sudan and Cameroon, temperatures are increasing 1.5 times faster than the rest of the world. Such temperatures are wearing away the health and stability of livelihoods and ecosystems around the globe. It is important to note, however, that the effects of climate change are not experienced equally; women are the first and worst to be affected by climate change.   Women often hold positions of smallholder farming and water collection which are now being impacted by climate change through increased periods of drought and disaster. As for smallholder farming, women make up almost 65% of the agricultural labour force in Kenya and limited rainfall severely impacts th...

#6Female Participation: A Step In The Right Direction

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The World Bank is committed to assisting countries in their development and achieving poverty reduction based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Water resource management remains a key challenge for achieving target 6.5  and other non-water related goals. Water resource management refers to the process of developing, managing, and planning water resources, both in terms of water quality and quantity. Effective management will ensure that people have amounts and quality of water for drinking and sanitation facilities, energy generation , food production and inland water transport.   So, where does gender equality come into this, you might ask? Without the inclusion of young girls and women (YGAW) in the procedures of water resource management, the challenges surrounding water accessibility and use cannot be met. Despite emphasis by the SDGs on the importance of gender equality to sustainable development in the fifth target, the relationship between environmental sust...