Articles

Empowering Young Women Water Professionals in South Asia: Leading the Wave of Change

2024-03-20T11:35:30+00:00

In September 2023, fueled by a shared vision to create a meaningful global impact, five visionary women embarked on a journey that led to the establishment of the "South Asia Young Women in Water" (SAYWiW) platform. This initiative was born out of a casual meeting, which evolved into a powerful force for change in the realm of water management in South Asia. SAYWiW stands as a beacon of empowerment for women water professionals, acknowledging their often-overlooked contributions to driving tangible change in the region. Despite encountering obstacles, these trailblazers persistently pioneer research and innovation, surpassing global counterparts and shaping the future of water management.

Unlocking the potential of African Women in STEM through mentorship

2024-03-12T08:03:27+00:00

Civil engineers and infrastructure professionals can make a huge difference – 72% of the SDG targets are linked to networked infrastructure development. This means the profession can play a leading role in economic growth, environmental protection, social progress, and climate resilience. Diversity in the dynamic world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) can realise this impact better.

Mentorship empowers African women to lead environmental stewardship

2024-03-08T13:39:28+00:00

The pivotal role of women in climate action often remains unrecognized yet women play a vital role in tackling climate change.

I was born in Kenya’s Uasin Gishu County and home of Mau Forest complex which is one of the water towers of Kenya and raised in Kakamega County - home of the only tropical rain forest in Kenya and UNESCO heritage that has seen destruction affecting water supply in counties around it. Over the years I learnt to appreciate that while climate change affects everyone, it does not affect everyone equally. Vulnerability to climate change is exacerbated by inequity and marginalization linked to gender, ethnicity, low income, and other social and economic factors. When solutions to climate change address these realities, they are more effective.

Achieving access to adequate and equitable sanitation for all is no mean feat

2024-03-05T06:31:33+00:00

Suryabarti (Surya) Majhi is a Project Engineer in Odisha Water Supply & Sewerage Board. She joined the department as a young assistant executive engineer in 2016 before which she worked in various government agencies. She calls herself an “engineer by mistake” because she wanted to study English- literature before she decided to study engineering. As a project engineer, Surya held the key to ensuring effective implementation of the state's Faecal sludge management. This has earned her a spot on the sanitation hall of change on the NFSSM alliance portal.

Decolonizing the WASH-Narrative

2023-11-03T06:47:11+00:00

In 2023, members of the SuSanA Secretariat, Global Steering Committee, Forum Moderators and the Africa Chapter met during the Policy and Practice Forum organized by the Center for Sciences and Environment (CSE). The Secretariat conducted an interview with some SuSanA members on the theme of "Decolonizing the WASH Narrative". This interview touched on the shift in knowledge ownership, representation and collaboration between the global North and South in the WASH sector.

Sanitation champion spotlight: A story of courage, determination and taking up space as a woman in WASH (featuring Eva Muhia)

2023-11-14T13:30:35+00:00

Eva Muhia is a Kenyan WASH entrepreneur and advocate who started her career manufacturing and supplying detergent to schools and institutions then progressively transitioned to WASH. She is the founder and owner of Varet products and Global sanitation environmental programme a NGO focused on advocating for sanitation and menstrual hygiene management. She is also the vice president of PASA and a appointed member of the Nairobi rivers commission.

Root causes of Gender-Based Violence amongst Drought Affected Communities of Musenke Sub-Location, Kajiado County

2023-10-31T13:43:38+00:00

For a long time , the pastoral community of Musenke Sub-Location in Kajiado County has faced myriad of challenges. These challenges are directly and indirectly attributed to changes in weather pattern, under-development, marginalization, government neglect and harmful cultural/societal practices. Such causative factors have resulted to multiple other problems affecting health, gender equality, education, economic status and use of land. In order to better understand the root causes of gender-based violence (GBV) in this community Spring of the Arid and Semi-arid Lands (SASAL) recently conducted a study.

Stronger Together - Connecting Female Water- and Sanitation Professionals and strengthening Women’s Networks in the Water and Sanitation Sector

2023-09-18T07:41:37+00:00

Why do women’s networks matter for the achievement of SDG 6? A lot, and this is why: Achieving SDG 6 by 2030 is becoming increasingly unlikely, it would need a quadrupling of current rates of progress in safely managed drinking water services, safely managed sanitation services and basic hygiene services for hitting the finish line. The water and sanitation sector is facing many challenges, one is the massive capacity gap and gender gap in the water and sanitation workforce.