Concluding Thoughts

In my first blog post, I referenced Wainaina’s satirical conceptualisation of how Africans, especially women, are stereotypically framed as helpless and without a voice. I hope that this blog has disproved that point, particularly when it comes down to water and development.

Before writing this blog, my perception of the relationship between water and gender was the plenitude of burdens associated with women's water collection, as well as lack of access to WASH facilities. Generally speaking, I would argue that this is what comes to mind for most people, but the blog stimulated me to delve into other topics such as women's uneven access to climate smart agriculture (irrigation) in water-stressed regions, which I had never even previously considered. The interconnected nature of the water-development paradigm is so rich, that despite a focus on gender, I was able to explore other thematic areas which was challenging at times but rewarding.  

As a British female, I cannot relate directly to the experiences that African women have with water and development, but what I can do is show and spread awareness. Researching and discussing African women’s experiences has shown me the potential for resolving these challenges, and I believe this approach is empowering and progressive as it helps to counter the Western perception that African women’s dialogue and experiences ought to only consist of their suffering, and nothing more. The typical Western ‘handout’ of technical help is of no use, without understanding the socio-political and gendered dynamics at play. This relates to my post about women as natural leaders of CLTS, for instance, rather than the installation of more unaffordable, unhygienic sanitation facilities. By paying attention to what these communities want, and what they have already done, there is a good chance of striving towards a holistic goal of UN SDG 6; one that accounts for all factors, rather than simply the quantitative measurement of ‘water for all’. 

I also very briefly covered the pivotal concept of a gender mainstreaming approach within water development. Returning to a quote I used by Rathgeber (1996), whenever ‘gender’ is mentioned within the paradigm of water resource management, it makes implicit reference to women. But, to truly achieve UN SDG 6, policymakers, scholars, and affected communities themselves must grasp the holistic concept of achieving equality amongst all genders, rather than conceptualising that one gender benefits more than the others. 

On the contrary, it has been enjoyable to research water and gender in Africa; despite the stark inequalities, discovering innovative solutions and gendered approaches to such concerns such as the development of washable, reusable sanitary pads has shown me that change is possible and never too late. However, to continue down this path, African womens’ experiences must be both acknowledged and used, within the arena of policy. 

 

I have much more to learn, but this blog was a helpful starting point: I can only hope that others will be inspired to do the same.