Programming Tool 5
Guide to integrating a gender lens into WASH for Peace Programming
Purpose
This Tool highlights WASH-relevant dimensions of gender and peacebuilding and outlines entry points to integrate gender sensitive and transformative approaches to WASH for Peace programming.
Background
WASH contributions to peace need to consider the gendered dimensions of peacebuilding. This includes the importance of enhancing efforts to address the power structures, dynamics, roles and relations between women/girls and men/boys. In order to maximize the benefits of WASH for Peace interventions, the gender dimensions of peace need to be taken into account in analysis and programme design – at a minimum gender sensitivity must be integrated across all elements of WASH programme design and implementation; ideally, opportunities to address gender dimensions of WASH–conflict interactions must be pursued that challenge gender inequality and the exclusion of women/girls from key aspects of WASH services and resource management.
Evidence
A study analysing the relationship between gender inequality and the instances of intrastate conflict noted that: “[…] the basic link between gender inequality and intrastate conflict is confirmed. States characterized by gender inequality are more likely to experience intrastate conflict. States characterized by gender inequality, rooted in hierarchy, discrimination, and violence, necessarily support norms of violence. As such, states with gender inequality are primed for violence. Furthermore, rebellion also seems to gain momentum from gender-defined roles and on a norm of violence inherent to gendered structural hierarchies.” More recently, the World Bank Blog Can gender equality prevent violent conflict? succinctly presents empirical evidence drawn from diverse sources to demonstrate a positive correlation between gender equality and intra- and inter- state conflict, while citing evidence of how women’s increased socio-economic and political participation positively correlates with peace.
Consider the distinct ways in which women, men, girls, and boys, access WASH service and use water resources according to their gender-specific roles
For example, women tend to have greater water needs due to domestic responsibilities that are still unequally distributed between men and women. Menstruating women have additional demands such as washing clothing and bathing when men are not present. As frequent small-scale farmers (e.g. home gardens) who are dependent on sources beyond rainfall, women and their dependents are at risk of food insecurity when alternative water sources are not available. When water is far from home, women and girls generally shoulder the burden of transporting it and these tasks lead to an increased vulnerability to violence in conflict-affected environments. Girls also face a higher risk of dropping out of school due to the time required to collect water, affecting their future opportunities.
Leverage opportunities to promote change and agency
Deep-seated discriminatory perceptions, social norms, sociocultural expectations around gender roles, and power relations, can sustain and enhance cultures of violence and contribute to conflict. However, the transitional period following violent conflict can present opportunities to address and even transform discriminatory structures and negative gender norms as communities experience unprecedented change (e.g. increase in female-headed households, change in the role of youth, change in community leadership).64 Conversely, women, men, girls, and boys participate in conflict management processes and contribute to peace in their communities distinctly and can bring new perspectives into traditional WASH and conflict management structures and processes (e.g. promoting inter-gender and intergenerational dialogue; promoting child/adolescent-centred dialogue).
Triple dividends – WASH, gender and peace
Sustained peacebuilding results are more likely when equitable gendered rights and positive gender roles and power relations are central aspects of the process. A key element in peacebuilding is addressing factors that undermine social cohesion. These factors include injustices at the structural and relational levels, of which unequal gender relations are an integral part. Ensuring that women and girls have an equal role in the design, management and monitoring of the WASH ecosystem can be a strategic gender-mainstreaming practice that empowers women and girls while improving WASH outcomes.
Integrating a gender lens to WASH programming in FCCS can help to deliver better WASH results and better contributions to peace – gender sensitivity and responsiveness can promote the triple and mutually reinforcing dividends of WASH, gender, and peace outcomes.