Reflection

As this module is now coming to an end, I thought it would be useful to reflect on what I have learnt and how my blog has progressed throughout the past few months. I was immediately drawn to the topic of gender in relation to water issues in Africa as I already had pre-conceived ideas about what I might find. I expected that women would be in a disadvantaged position compared to men, and I expected that women would be excluded from decision-making processes.

However, what I have discovered over the course of this module is that my view of women’s issues in relation to water in Africa was clearly highly generalised. I have indeed explored the unfair burden of water collection for women, the disadvantaged position of female farmers in relation to water issues, and sanitation issues women experience within Africa.

Yet, I have also been forced to rethink on my own rather Eurocentric view and consider that women are not homogenous across space and actually, some women do not want female empowerment or change within their community. Additionally, I have explored how NGOs and academics can make damaging assumptions when discussing and implementing gender mainstreaming initiatives.

Furthermore, I have explored the different sides of the argument when it comes to ideas of female empowerment and have come to the conclusion that whilst female empowerment is important, it cannot be enforced on all communities using a set formula, but that each specific context must be considered on an individual basis. This particular conclusion has been potentially the most surprising revelation of this course, as previously I assumed female empowerment could only be a positive course of action in all contexts.

I have enjoyed writing my blog immensely, not least because it has allowed me to explore this topic in far greater detail and with far greater independence than other forms of assessment. I hope also that anyone who has read my blog has enjoyed my posts and I am extremely grateful for the insightful and helpful comments I have received. Ultimately, this blog has taught me that, as is the case with most topics studied in the field of Geography, there is always a greater complexity to the issue than was first considered. 

Female Empowerment

This week I will be looking at female empowerment in relation to water management and also other water issues in Africa. There are a wide variety of articles discussing this particular topic as it is considered by many to be an important component of improving water services within Africa (as well as many other places across the world). 

An article published in August 2015 on the website ‘allafrica.com' mentioned the importance of dismissing the association of women as collectors of water and actually making women the suppliers and managers of water systems within Africa. This article quotes the Water and Sanitation Minister, Nomvula Mokonyane, who spoke during the Water Consultative Conference in 2015. Not only is this minister a woman, but she also announced her intension to identify two or three dams in South Africa over the next three years which would be specifically built by women.

An article published in October 2016 (The Point Banjul Isato Jawara, 2016) on the same site stated that access to water is still a major issue for rural women in Africa. This article quoted Fatou Samba-Nije who represents the National Women’s Farmers Association. She stated that government project interventions are now supporting women garden groups which is an important and positive achievement.

These articles have all discussed the importance of female empowerment and the positive strives towards it that have already been made. The UNICEF WASH initiative states that there is evidence to show that water and sanitation services are, in general, more effective if women take an active role in the decision-making processes (unicef.org). A World Bank evaluation of 122 water projects even found that the effectiveness of any project was 6 to 7 times higher when women were involved (unicef.org).

Female empowerment and women’s issues in relation to water in Africa are clearly being scrutinised and considered more closely, both by governments, academics and organisations. Not only that, but more and more evidence is being gathered to show the advantages of female empowerment when it comes to successful water management initiatives. 

Despite the issues I have mentioned in previous blog posts regarding female empowerment, the growing recognition of the advantages it can bring to communities can result in positive changes moving forward. By allowing women to take part in decision-making processes, they can bring their own knowledges and experiences to the fore. Furthermore, as they are, in many cases, distinctly disadvantaged when it comes to issues of water, they can contribute improvements that will specifically address these issues. Ultimately, by empowering women to take part in decision-making processes, where successful collaborations are made, this will not only lead to positive outcomes for women, but for the wider community as water issues pose a significant challenge and will continue to do so long into the future.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201509010857.html

The Point Banjul Isatou Jawara. (2016, October 27). Women Activists Highlights Constraints in Access to Land and Water in Africa. AllAfrica.com, p. AllAfrica.com, Oct 27, 2016.

https://www.unicef.org/esaro/7310_Gender_and_WASH.html