The Role of Gender in the Provision Of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Services The Case of Achefer and Yilmana Densa Communities of Amhara Region
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2007-04
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The sustainability of rural water supply and sanitation services depends on many interrelated factors such as the policy environment, institutional management, financial and economic issues, spare- part supply and maintenance, monitoring systems, and environmental related issues. However, despite all of these factors, the true participation and ownership of users, especially the role of women are the most essential ones. The aim of this research was to investigate the relevance of gender for the sustainability of rural water supply and sanitation services and to identify the structural factors that exacerbate women’s and men’s unequal participation in the management of rural water supply and sanitation projects. To this end, the study was undertaken in four rural water supply and sanitation projects among rural communities of Achefer and Yilmana Densa communities of Amhara Region by applying qualitative and quantitative methods.
The findings of the study reveal that gender plays significant roles in sustaining rural water supply and sanitation services. The women and men of the research areas were equally involved in the various phases of the projects, from inception to implementation. The role of women in project implementation was remarkable; where as it was low in the management of the schemes. Water supply and sanitation management committees were generally dominated by men. The participation of women both in decision-making and their numerical representation in water committees were lower than that of men due to impeding structural factors. The study also discloses that the power relation between female and male water supply and sanitation committee members is unbalanced. Though women play important role in taking care of their water supply and sanitation services, their contributions are little appreciated by the member of their communities and their representation in water supply and sanitation management committees are perceived as the fulfillment of the requirement set by support agencies to do so.
Provision of water supply and sanitation services are not merely technical issues. They have social and gender aspects that are crucial for their sustainability. Yet, such aspects are given less attention in the research areas..
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Gender Studies