Gender equality approaches in water, sanitation, and hygiene programs: Towards gender-transformative practice
The recent (re-)emergence of gender-transformative approaches in the development sector has focused on transforming the gender norms, dynamics, and structures which perpetuate inequalities. Yet, the application of gender-transformative approaches within water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Water |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2023.1090002/full |
| _version_ | 1797851380058161152 |
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| author | Jess MacArthur Naomi Carrard Jose Mott Stuart Raetz Mia Siscawati Juliet Willetts |
| author_facet | Jess MacArthur Naomi Carrard Jose Mott Stuart Raetz Mia Siscawati Juliet Willetts |
| author_sort | Jess MacArthur |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The recent (re-)emergence of gender-transformative approaches in the development sector has focused on transforming the gender norms, dynamics, and structures which perpetuate inequalities. Yet, the application of gender-transformative approaches within water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programing remains nascent as compared with other sectors. Adopting a feminist sensemaking approach drawing on literature and practice, this inquiry sought to document and critically reflect on the conceptualization and innovation of gender-transformative thinking in the Australian Government's Water for Women Fund. Through three sensemaking workshops and associated analysis, participants developed a conceptual framework and set of illustrative case examples to support WASH practitioners to integrate strengthened gender-transformative practice. The multi-layered framework contains varied entry points to support multi-disciplinary WASH teams integrating gender equality, as skills and resources permit. Initiatives can be categorized as insensitive, sensitive, responsive or transformative, and prompted by five common motivators (welfare, efficiency, equity, empowerment, and transformative requality). The framework has at its foundation two diverging tendencies: toward instrumental gender potential and toward transformative gender potential. The article draws on historical and recent WASH literature to illustrate the conceptual framework in relation to: (i) community mobilization, (ii) governance, service provision, and oversight, and (iii) enterprise development. The illustrative examples provide practical guidance for WASH practitioners integrating gendered thinking into programs, projects, and policies. We offer a working definition for gender-transformative WASH and reflect on how the acknowledgment, consideration, and transformation of gender inequalities can lead to simultaneously strengthened WASH outcomes and improved gender equality. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T19:16:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8c39a9a1859544218764baf3e6dc05ea |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-9375 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T19:16:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-8c39a9a1859544218764baf3e6dc05ea2023-04-06T05:16:02ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Water2624-93752023-04-01510.3389/frwa.2023.10900021090002Gender equality approaches in water, sanitation, and hygiene programs: Towards gender-transformative practiceJess MacArthur0Naomi Carrard1Jose Mott2Stuart Raetz3Mia Siscawati4Juliet Willetts5Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaInstitute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaWater for Women Fund Coordination Team, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaWater for Women Fund Coordination Team, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaSchool of Strategic and Global Studies, Gender Studies Graduate Program, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, IndonesiaInstitute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaThe recent (re-)emergence of gender-transformative approaches in the development sector has focused on transforming the gender norms, dynamics, and structures which perpetuate inequalities. Yet, the application of gender-transformative approaches within water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programing remains nascent as compared with other sectors. Adopting a feminist sensemaking approach drawing on literature and practice, this inquiry sought to document and critically reflect on the conceptualization and innovation of gender-transformative thinking in the Australian Government's Water for Women Fund. Through three sensemaking workshops and associated analysis, participants developed a conceptual framework and set of illustrative case examples to support WASH practitioners to integrate strengthened gender-transformative practice. The multi-layered framework contains varied entry points to support multi-disciplinary WASH teams integrating gender equality, as skills and resources permit. Initiatives can be categorized as insensitive, sensitive, responsive or transformative, and prompted by five common motivators (welfare, efficiency, equity, empowerment, and transformative requality). The framework has at its foundation two diverging tendencies: toward instrumental gender potential and toward transformative gender potential. The article draws on historical and recent WASH literature to illustrate the conceptual framework in relation to: (i) community mobilization, (ii) governance, service provision, and oversight, and (iii) enterprise development. The illustrative examples provide practical guidance for WASH practitioners integrating gendered thinking into programs, projects, and policies. We offer a working definition for gender-transformative WASH and reflect on how the acknowledgment, consideration, and transformation of gender inequalities can lead to simultaneously strengthened WASH outcomes and improved gender equality.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2023.1090002/fullgender-transformativegender-transformationWASH (watersanitationand hygiene)social transformations |
| spellingShingle | Jess MacArthur Naomi Carrard Jose Mott Stuart Raetz Mia Siscawati Juliet Willetts Gender equality approaches in water, sanitation, and hygiene programs: Towards gender-transformative practice Frontiers in Water gender-transformative gender-transformation WASH (water sanitation and hygiene) social transformations |
| title | Gender equality approaches in water, sanitation, and hygiene programs: Towards gender-transformative practice |
| title_full | Gender equality approaches in water, sanitation, and hygiene programs: Towards gender-transformative practice |
| title_fullStr | Gender equality approaches in water, sanitation, and hygiene programs: Towards gender-transformative practice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gender equality approaches in water, sanitation, and hygiene programs: Towards gender-transformative practice |
| title_short | Gender equality approaches in water, sanitation, and hygiene programs: Towards gender-transformative practice |
| title_sort | gender equality approaches in water sanitation and hygiene programs towards gender transformative practice |
| topic | gender-transformative gender-transformation WASH (water sanitation and hygiene) social transformations |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2023.1090002/full |
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