Gender and Equity
If water and sanitation projects and programmes are to be sustainable, equitable and effective, they must be gender-balanced and provide access for all.
Gender in Dutch water policy: for equality, effectiveness and sustainability
A group of Dutch NGOs, among them Simavi and IRC, has published a position paper on gender in the Dutch water policy. A number of arguments and recommendations have been drawn up to stimulate the involvement of women. Especially in local and regional initiatives in the 15 partner countries, with which the Dutch government has a bilateral development relationship. The paper is in Dutch.
Women take action on sanitation and become toilet masons in northern Vietnam
The Sustainable Sanitation and Hygiene for All (SSH4A) programme is a partnership between SNV, IRC and district and provincial governments in five Asian countries: Bhutan, Cambodia, Lao PRD, Nepal and Vietnam with financial support from AusAid. In Vietnam, the programme is implemented in 149 villages across three North West Provinces in partnership with the Department of Health and the Dien Bien Province and Muong Anh District Women’s Union (WU).
Gender- and poor-inclusive community-managed sanitation and hygiene in urban Indonesia
Community empowerment is important in urban sanitation development, but at the same time, community empowerment requires that the social and technical institutions in charge of empowerment and sanitation adopt new skills and techniques for working with communities. Without the right skills to assist the communities, build their skills, and provide some minimal monitoring of performance afterwards, there is a risk of over-expecting what a community can manage
Stories and publications
Stories and publications on gender published by IRC together with other organisations.
Programmes and activities
Selection of programmes and activities of IRC and partners in South Asia.
Building the Balance
Stories on water, sanitation and gender equity from Kerala, India. The film was made by SEUF and IRC.
Guidelines for including Gender and Equity
IRC promotes a gender approach to water and sanitation projects and programmes through its information resources, advocacy work, publications and projects with partners. This section gives guidelines and approaches for mainstreaming gender in programmes.
Gender and Water Alliance
The Gender and Water Alliance (GWA) strives to improve the practice of gender mainstreaming in the work done by its members (individuals as well as organisations) and their partners.
