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Women's Leadership in Water Management Committees: Impact on Sustainability of Water Points

This case study explores the extent of women's leadership in Water Management Committees (WMCs) in Bangladesh and its impact on water point sustainability. The study identifies best practices, assesses women's engagement, and promotes gender equality in accessing water resources.

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Women's Leadership in Water Management Committees: Impact on Sustainability of Water Points

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  1. Understanding the extent of women’s leadership in Water Management Committees: How does it affect the sustainability of water points? Case Study: NoboJatra, Bangladesh February 2019

  2. NoboJatra-New Beginning’ is a five year USAID Food for Peace Title II Development Food Security Activity working in South West Bangladesh OVERVIEW

  3. GOAL AND PURPOSES

  4. KEY COMPONENTS

  5. LOCAL CONTEXT *Baseline data; BDHS 2014; WHO/UNICEF JMP data

  6. WASH STRATEGY

  7. COLLABORATING, LEARNING AND ADAPTATION (CLA)

  8. Longitudinal Case Study OBJECTIVES Identify best practices in women’s leadership in Water Management Committees (WMCs) Ascertain the extent of women’s engagement to improve sustainability and functionality of WMCs Promote gender equality in accessing water resources WHY • To fill knowledge gap and build technical evidence base on approaches that enhance women’s leadership in design, management, maintenance of water systems HOW • Longitudinal case study in two phases • Phase 1: Formative (already completed) • Phase 2: Impact focused (after 4 years)

  9. Phase 1 (conducted in January 2018) studies 3 thematic areas: RESEARCH OBJECTIVES PHASE 1

  10. Methodology for Phase1

  11. WATER MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES

  12. Roles and Responsibilities • Conduct meetings • Collect funds • Mobilize people and committee members to attend meetings • Maintain resolutions • Identify water related problems • Build community awareness • Regularly coordinate with WATSAN committee and Department of Public Health and Engineering • Caretaker selection and follow up of activities LEADERSHIP IN WMCS

  13. Theme (1): Women’s Decision Making Capacity within the WMCs regarding resources allocation, managing water point/services or revenue generation • Theme (2): Authority to advocate/act on behalf of WMC to organize meetings, mobilize other committee members to take collective action • Theme (3): Obstacles to women’s meaningful, rather than “tokenistic – ceremonial” leadership/representation FIELD FINDINGS

  14. FINDINGS Theme 1 Women are increasingly taking on leadership roles due to a number of reasons incl. seasonal migration, local govt. and NGO efforts. Local government bodies prioritized women’s participation. Distinctions between leadership positions were not always clear. Leadership was based on collective efforts depending on availability of members. Theme 2 Both men and women play a leading role to organize meetings. Some women represent the WMC to external stakeholders – at Union Parishad level and with Department of Public Health Engineering. Women are active in community mobilization; environmental compliances.

  15. Theme 3 Social norms, household responsibilities and gender norms considered a barrier to participation. Women take their leadership role seriously – yet both men and women felt that women need to develop their capacity to serve as leaders. Leadership training was identified as a key area for both men and women. FIELD FINDINGS

  16. PROGRESS TO DATE:

  17. LEADERSHIP TRAINING

  18. Data till November 2018: • 100% of water points have active and functional WMCs. • 87% of WMC conducted meetings regularly • 91% of water quality tests were performed via the Department of Public Health Engineering – indicating effective linkages between WMCs and Government structures. • Women in leadership positions building linkages with Union Parishad’sfor fund mobilization for the repair of water points. WMC’s ON GROUND

  19. https://www.wvb-nobojatra.org/Saeqah_Kabir@wvi.org

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