Systematic mapping of gender equality and social inclusion in WASH interventions: knowledge clusters and gaps
Introduction Poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services threatens population health and contributes to gender and social inequalities, especially in low-resource settings. Despite awareness in the WASH sector of the importance of promoting gender equality and social inclusion (GESI...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMJ Publishing Group
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | BMJ Global Health |
| Online Access: | https://gh.bmj.com/content/8/1/e010850.full |
| _version_ | 1797943281957470208 |
|---|---|
| author | Karin Hannes Sarah Dickin Marni Sommer Carla Liera Biljana Macura Ella Foggitt Adriana Soto Arianna Orlando Laura Del Duca Naomi Carrard |
| author_facet | Karin Hannes Sarah Dickin Marni Sommer Carla Liera Biljana Macura Ella Foggitt Adriana Soto Arianna Orlando Laura Del Duca Naomi Carrard |
| author_sort | Karin Hannes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction Poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services threatens population health and contributes to gender and social inequalities, especially in low-resource settings. Despite awareness in the WASH sector of the importance of promoting gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) to address these inequalities, evaluations of interventions focus largely on health outcomes, while gender equality and other social outcomes are rarely included. This review aimed to collate and describe available research evidence of GESI outcomes evaluated in WASH intervention studies.Methods We applied a systematic mapping methodology and searched for both academic and grey literature published between 2010 and 2020 in 16 bibliographic databases and 53 specialist websites. Eligibility screening (with consistency checking) was conducted according to predetermined criteria, followed by metadata coding and narrative synthesis.Results Our evidence base comprises 463 intervention studies. Only 42% of studies measured transformative GESI outcomes of WASH interventions, referring to those that seek to transform gender relations and power imbalances to promote equality. A majority of studies disaggregated outcome data by sex, but other forms of data disaggregation were limited. Most included studies (78%) lacked a specific GESI mainstreaming component in their intervention design. Of the interventions with GESI mainstreaming, the majority targeted women and girls, with very few focused on other social groups or intersectional considerations.Conclusion The review points to various areas for future primary and secondary research. Given the potential contribution of WASH to GESI, GESI considerations should be incorporated into the evaluation of WASH interventions. Regular collection of data and monitoring of GESI outcomes is needed as well as developing new and testing existing methods for monitoring and evaluation of such data. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T20:20:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-17a1774ed3804fa99f87bdad55669286 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2059-7908 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T20:20:39Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Global Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-17a1774ed3804fa99f87bdad556692862023-01-25T18:00:10ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Global Health2059-79082023-01-018110.1136/bmjgh-2022-010850Systematic mapping of gender equality and social inclusion in WASH interventions: knowledge clusters and gapsKarin Hannes0Sarah Dickin1Marni Sommer2Carla Liera3Biljana Macura4Ella Foggitt5Adriana Soto6Arianna Orlando7Laura Del Duca8Naomi Carrard9Research Group SoMeTHin’K, Faculty of Social Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumStockholm Environment Institute, Stockholm, SwedenSociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USAStockholm Environment Institute, Stockholm, SwedenStockholm Environment Institute, Stockholm, SwedenLancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UKStockholm Environment Institute, Stockholm, SwedenDepartment of Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, GermanyStockholm Environment Institute, Stockholm, SwedenInstitute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Sydney, AustraliaIntroduction Poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services threatens population health and contributes to gender and social inequalities, especially in low-resource settings. Despite awareness in the WASH sector of the importance of promoting gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) to address these inequalities, evaluations of interventions focus largely on health outcomes, while gender equality and other social outcomes are rarely included. This review aimed to collate and describe available research evidence of GESI outcomes evaluated in WASH intervention studies.Methods We applied a systematic mapping methodology and searched for both academic and grey literature published between 2010 and 2020 in 16 bibliographic databases and 53 specialist websites. Eligibility screening (with consistency checking) was conducted according to predetermined criteria, followed by metadata coding and narrative synthesis.Results Our evidence base comprises 463 intervention studies. Only 42% of studies measured transformative GESI outcomes of WASH interventions, referring to those that seek to transform gender relations and power imbalances to promote equality. A majority of studies disaggregated outcome data by sex, but other forms of data disaggregation were limited. Most included studies (78%) lacked a specific GESI mainstreaming component in their intervention design. Of the interventions with GESI mainstreaming, the majority targeted women and girls, with very few focused on other social groups or intersectional considerations.Conclusion The review points to various areas for future primary and secondary research. Given the potential contribution of WASH to GESI, GESI considerations should be incorporated into the evaluation of WASH interventions. Regular collection of data and monitoring of GESI outcomes is needed as well as developing new and testing existing methods for monitoring and evaluation of such data.https://gh.bmj.com/content/8/1/e010850.full |
| spellingShingle | Karin Hannes Sarah Dickin Marni Sommer Carla Liera Biljana Macura Ella Foggitt Adriana Soto Arianna Orlando Laura Del Duca Naomi Carrard Systematic mapping of gender equality and social inclusion in WASH interventions: knowledge clusters and gaps BMJ Global Health |
| title | Systematic mapping of gender equality and social inclusion in WASH interventions: knowledge clusters and gaps |
| title_full | Systematic mapping of gender equality and social inclusion in WASH interventions: knowledge clusters and gaps |
| title_fullStr | Systematic mapping of gender equality and social inclusion in WASH interventions: knowledge clusters and gaps |
| title_full_unstemmed | Systematic mapping of gender equality and social inclusion in WASH interventions: knowledge clusters and gaps |
| title_short | Systematic mapping of gender equality and social inclusion in WASH interventions: knowledge clusters and gaps |
| title_sort | systematic mapping of gender equality and social inclusion in wash interventions knowledge clusters and gaps |
| url | https://gh.bmj.com/content/8/1/e010850.full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT karinhannes systematicmappingofgenderequalityandsocialinclusioninwashinterventionsknowledgeclustersandgaps AT sarahdickin systematicmappingofgenderequalityandsocialinclusioninwashinterventionsknowledgeclustersandgaps AT marnisommer systematicmappingofgenderequalityandsocialinclusioninwashinterventionsknowledgeclustersandgaps AT carlaliera systematicmappingofgenderequalityandsocialinclusioninwashinterventionsknowledgeclustersandgaps AT biljanamacura systematicmappingofgenderequalityandsocialinclusioninwashinterventionsknowledgeclustersandgaps AT ellafoggitt systematicmappingofgenderequalityandsocialinclusioninwashinterventionsknowledgeclustersandgaps AT adrianasoto systematicmappingofgenderequalityandsocialinclusioninwashinterventionsknowledgeclustersandgaps AT ariannaorlando systematicmappingofgenderequalityandsocialinclusioninwashinterventionsknowledgeclustersandgaps AT lauradelduca systematicmappingofgenderequalityandsocialinclusioninwashinterventionsknowledgeclustersandgaps AT naomicarrard systematicmappingofgenderequalityandsocialinclusioninwashinterventionsknowledgeclustersandgaps |