The Role of Women in Water Resource Management, in Case of Enderta Woreda, Tigray Region, Ethiopia

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Date

2011-06

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Addis Ababa University

Abstract

This study deals with roles of women in water resource management in Enderta woreda, specifically in Didba and Shibta Tabias. The major purpose of the study is identifying factors that affect women’s participation in management positions and methods of enhancement. The subjects of the study were 120 dwellers of the two Tabias and 3 officials of the water sector and water project staff members of the woreda. Besides this, documents and observation were used to gather data that can not be obtained through questionnaires and interview, and also documents were used to supplement the data collected from primary sources. The instruments for data collection were interview, questionnaires, observation, FGD and document analysis. The collected data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The following are findings and conclusions of the study. It was evidenced that the role of women in water management is high, especially in domestic level and the willingness to participate in external water issues were increased, but the decision making power never reached equality between men and women. The analysis shows that even though there are few women in the water committee of the local community and the water resource management sector, still their participation in decision making is insignificant. Even today, the society confirms the supremacy of men over women. As a result the policy at national levels as well as the regional level which emphasized on women’s participation in water resource management has become elusive its implementations. On the evidence of the study results, there are different barriers for women’s participation in management. The most frequently mentioned barriers are socio-cultural barriers, women’s low educational success and access in the country and low number of women in the office as managerial staff. Finally, the main measures to be taken to enhance women’s participation in management position is mainly depends on better addressing gender gaps in the country and the level of attention given for gender issues in the water sector

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Geography and Environmental Studies

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