Women can play a critical role in water resource management. However, getting beyond gender obstacles in water resource management remains difficult. Women in South Asia, particularly in Ganga- Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) basins, play a critical role in providing, managing, and safeguarding water resources. Yet, their participation in water governance is not visible.
Despite the irrefutable relationship between women and water in South Asia, gender considerations are still seen as irrelevant in large-scale water management issues such as dams and hydropower construction projects, river protection embankments, and water trade. Policy decisions are mostly made without women, and as a result, they left to suffer worse consequences compared to men.
But this is changing; as more women across South Asia’s rural and riverine landscapes become better informed about their rights and access to water, they can continue to come forward and participate in the decision-making process.
Sameer Singh – https://asia.oxfam.org/latest/policy-paper/women-and-water-creating-positive-ripples-transboundary-water-governance-south
