Women and Water Women and Water diplomacy:diplomacy:

women role in deliberations and women role in deliberations and implementation of international implementation of international

water-related agreementswater-related agreements

Lesha Witmer,Lesha Witmer,

Chair Standing Committee Chair Standing Committee environment, sustainable environment, sustainable

development & water IFBPWdevelopment & water IFBPW

Just to remind you:Just to remind you:Why is water a women’s issueWhy is water a women’s issue

Majority of the users (domestic, Majority of the users (domestic, agriculture, food, business, health care)agriculture, food, business, health care)

Main consumers > influence quality, Main consumers > influence quality, regulations (tap; bottle)regulations (tap; bottle)

Main suppliers in many parts of the worldMain suppliers in many parts of the world

(Easy) access to safe water; prerequisite (Easy) access to safe water; prerequisite for health, education and economic for health, education and economic activity/ - independencyactivity/ - independency

Sanitation is about health, dignity and Sanitation is about health, dignity and safetysafety

Motivate and educate; take actionMotivate and educate; take action22

Why is it a women’s issue?Why is it a women’s issue?

More and more women have professional More and more women have professional education in the fieldeducation in the fieldAre experts / professionals – but rarely in Are experts / professionals – but rarely in decision-making positionsdecision-making positionsPerform tasks were they can influence Perform tasks were they can influence water use: Work as health care workers, water use: Work as health care workers, facility management, educators, etc.facility management, educators, etc.Manage and own (small) businessesManage and own (small) businessesWomen empowerment principles.Women empowerment principles.

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Art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of statesUsually refers to international diplomacy, by professional diplomats with regard to issues of peace-making, economics, culture, environment, and human rights. In an informal or social sense, diplomacy is the employment of tact to gain strategic advantage or to find mutually acceptable solutions to a common challenge, phrasing of statements in a non-confrontational, or polite mannerAdvocacy with respect.

DiplomacyDiplomacy

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(founding) member of Women for Water Partnership > official partner UN WaterMember of world water council > influence the world water forumMember of the Butterfly Effect > cooperationWorking with major group women and caucus for the CSW and HLPF SDWorking with ministries for water (resources)

Diplomacy = Diplomacy = alliancesalliances

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What’s the What’s the difference?difference?

Women see and focus on the impact on livelihoods firstMen are interested in and tend to see the technology firstWomen tend to see the “merit” ; Men tend to see the “market“Women tend to integrate/ look for “horizontal” coordination/ cohesion; Men tend to focus on the “silo”

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What’s the What’s the difference?difference?

Women tend to build relations first <> make local connections <> People tend to give women more informationAccess to areas that are restricted to menFinding solutions to the root cause of Finding solutions to the root cause of many insecurity and inequality issues many insecurity and inequality issues makes women effective diplomatsmakes women effective diplomats

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What’s the What’s the difference?difference?

Female ambassadors tend to focus on Female ambassadors tend to focus on underlying factors of larger problems, underlying factors of larger problems, bringing issues such as poverty, family bringing issues such as poverty, family structures, health care and the lack of safe structures, health care and the lack of safe drinking water into discussionsdrinking water into discussionsDiplomacy is reactive in nature, women are Diplomacy is reactive in nature, women are willing to consider options more carefully for willing to consider options more carefully for a longer period of time than men until the a longer period of time than men until the right route for action is foundright route for action is found

Examples: Hilary Clinton, Maria Mutagambe, lady Ashton..

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Levels of engagement consultation consultation ≠≠ Participation Participationmulti stakeholder engagement + collective multi stakeholder engagement + collective decision-making on decision-making on equal footingequal footingspace for engagement: from planning > space for engagement: from planning > implementationimplementationsphere of influence <> diplomacysphere of influence <> diplomacy““pace” and timing (very different for pace” and timing (very different for different stakeholder groups)different stakeholder groups)respect the role(s) ! be clear on respect the role(s) ! be clear on expectations, roles/ tasks from the startexpectations, roles/ tasks from the start

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Water: a merit goodWater: a merit goodGoods and services that are judged to be worth more

than their value according to the market. Merit goods such as water & sanitation services may be under-supplied in proportion to their perceived value (if left to private enterprise), and are therefore often provided by governments or nonprofit organizations

In economics, a good to which persons are believed to In economics, a good to which persons are believed to have a right. That is, a merit good is something that have a right. That is, a merit good is something that should be available for free or at reduced prices should be available for free or at reduced prices because it is necessary and the free market does because it is necessary and the free market does not provide sufficient incentives (yet) to produce itnot provide sufficient incentives (yet) to produce it

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In generalIn general

Water needs a common voiceWater needs sustainable, social, behavioral , economic solutionsWater needs joint actionWater needs local and global solutions

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Sustainable Sustainable Development needs Development needs Goals 5 and 6Goals 5 and 6

Principles of water governance:Principles of water governance:Equitable and reasonable use, no harmEquitable and reasonable use, no harmAnd Universal access to basic services (water And Universal access to basic services (water & sanitation)& sanitation)

<><>Empowerment & economic independency of Empowerment & economic independency of womenwomen

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Attention needed for:Attention needed for: Behavioral changesBehavioral changes Waste water management: 5 R’s: redesign, Waste water management: 5 R’s: redesign,

reduce, reuse, re-cycle, re-allocatereduce, reuse, re-cycle, re-allocate Water storage & MUS (multiple usage)Water storage & MUS (multiple usage) Capacity development: awareness about use Capacity development: awareness about use

and pollutionand pollution (lack of) access to safe sanitation River basin management: IWRM and River basin management: IWRM and

transboundarytransboundary Restoration of infra-structureRestoration of infra-structure Water stewardshipWater stewardship

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What can and should What can and should women support?women support?

universal access to safe water supply and universal access to safe water supply and gender-responsive sanitation and hygienegender-responsive sanitation and hygieneaccess to proper hygiene (education)access to proper hygiene (education)front- line service delivery by women front- line service delivery by women involvement of women in water involvement of women in water management and water governance at all management and water governance at all levels.levels.

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I wish..I wish..

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Recommendation/ Recommendation/ conclusionconclusion

• Support the agreement on SDG 5 and 6 with Support the agreement on SDG 5 and 6 with current targetscurrent targets

• Acknowledge women as leaders, experts and Acknowledge women as leaders, experts and agents of change in water – SD nexusagents of change in water – SD nexus

• Include women at all levels in the decision-Include women at all levels in the decision-making process by setting quota of at least making process by setting quota of at least 40% women in water governing bodies40% women in water governing bodies

• Support establishment of a dedicated water Support establishment of a dedicated water and women’s fund and women’s fund

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Recommendation/ Recommendation/ conclusionconclusion

• and budget for capacity development, and budget for capacity development, vocational training, empowerment and vocational training, empowerment and design appropriate governance structuresdesign appropriate governance structures

• Make sure there are gender-disaggreated Make sure there are gender-disaggreated qualitative and quantitative dataqualitative and quantitative data

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