WWN South Asia’s contribution to ministerial statement in WWF3 (in relation to Asia Day and theme of Poverty and Partnerships)

(This statement was developed jointly by all South Asian coordinators during SAWAF 2, Islamabad, and the Second WWN Coordinators meeting on 17th Dec 2002, and amended in the last week of December).

The scale and pace of change in the modern world is so colossal that existing paradigms have become outmoded. The new realities mean new alignments & partnerships: between men and women, between rich and poor and among the competing uses for water at different levels. A re-examination of the gender aspects of water and food issues is required, therefore, within the nexus of poverty and environment and within the framework of local, country, regional and global partnerships (that should include government, private sector, civil society and local communities).

This re-examination calls for the following within the larger context of water-based partnerships: Water management policies should not distinguish between water users by gender and should allow men and women equitable access to water resources, including safe drinking water and sanitation. Water resources management should be based on participatory approaches. Men and women should be equally involved in managing the sustainable use of water resources and sharing of benefits.

Water policies and water management systems should be gender-sensitive and water experts and policy makers should be trained to work in a gender-inclusive manner. In many instances, specific support is also needed to empower women to take up leadership and managerial roles in water resources policies and management, thereby strengthening the water partnerships across the board. They should reflect the division of roles and labour (both paid and unpaid) between men and women in all settings related to water. Data relating to water should be disaggregated by gender.

It is clear that poverty can be addressed through developing broad-based, gender-inclusive partnerships (that span all levels from local to global), built around water, food and environment issues.