Alternatives to improve role of women and reduce poverty
Rural women should be left to manage their water resources using their traditional methods as these have proved to be successful for them.
Women have a particular need for information on possibilities for participation and on their legal rights, in order to enhance their bargaining power
Francis et al. 2001. Therefore educating women about the existing opportunities for their participation may lead to the improvement of their roles in practice.
All institutions in the water sector, including NGOs, should have clear gender policies, include a gender perspective in their organisation culture and
practices and address strategic gender needs through training, education and supporting productive use of water. Well-planned water programs offer a real
opportunity for women to exercise authority and leadership within a community and to extend their influence beyond community level to address the strategic
needs of women in the water sector. To ensure quality representation of women‟s interests in decision-making
bodies and management structures, careful analysis is required to ensure equality in the distribution of work, paid opportunities, skills-development and capacity
building initiatives, as well in as the benefits of any planned action. Affirmative action to promote self confidence and the expression of their ideas should be
done alongside participation. Water managers should be trained in how to enable an inclusive dialogue on water issues
Treating gender as a marginal issue and relegating the concerns to gender desk or consultants will make real change difficult. There is need for know-how,
interest, or commitment on the part of those responsible for implementation of water policy. There is need to promote more transparent systems of allocation
and accountability that report gender-based information, allow for and promote gender sensitive participation, and analyse water budget effects
on women‟s welfare.
Gender blindness still exists among decision makers and this could be due to a traditional point of view that assumes that communities are homogeneous.
There is need for education about and research about heterogeneity and assortment of individuals and groups who command different levels of power,
wealth, influence and ability to express their needs, concerns and rights.
Cultural gender stereotypes need to be ironed out. In most cases, women and poor find it hard to speak out about their water problems and needs.
Formal administration and decision- making are misconceived as men‟s
work even though women may manage water in practice. In these situations, women‟s interests and concerns are ignored and their roles within the water
system are lost. This misconception need to be ironed out. Well targeted services can improve the health and security of women and their families, and free them to
engage in social, economic, and political activities, thus tackling „time poverty.‟ Time povert
y is defined as the situation where women‟s time is inflexible, consumed by routine and non-productive tasks, perpetuating their absence from
decision making and other profitable pursuits. A water reticulation policy that is sensitive to women‟s needs would have
more public water points located near their homes, preferring connections within their houses, so as to reduce the time and energy spent on the acquisition of
water. Distant water facilities increase women‟s and girls‟ workloads, sometimes placing severe stress on their health and their capacity to take advantage of
educational and training opportunities. Disparities in access to water between rural and urban need to be ironed
out not by channelling rural water resources into cities as is being done, but through serving people with what they need. More resources channelled towards
building boreholes and wells will improve access to water by the rural thereby helping them break out of poverty. A pro poor approach to water management is
desirable to solve the country‟s water woes and at the same time tackle poverty.
Otherwise, left to compete freely neoliberal practises win over the social agenda and the poor suffer.
A demand based approach with a privatised on profit water company has not by any means always provided the required result, let alone where it is a
monopoly like the case of ZINWA. Studies demonstrate that private companies in a non-competitive market for mostly a monopoly situation is involved are not
necessarily more efficient than other forms of management. Abuses and corruption occur in the private sector too. In many cases water price multiplied
after privatisation of the drinking water sector: e.g. Indonesia, Bolivia, Argentina,
and the Philippines. Tariff systems that are both affordable and economically sustainable in the socio-economic context of a population should be created, that
don‟t burden the poor and women at the advantage of the rich male dominated productive users.
According to Nhapi 2009, Harare cannot overcome its water-related problems under the current set-up. He recommends that a corporatised body, free
from political influence and with a higher degree of autonomy, be established to run the water services for Harare and the neighbouring towns.
To preserve the scarce water supplies requires recognition of urban –rural
water cycle linkages and holistic, coordinated, and equitable regional policies and practices that support ecosystem function Showers 2002. This also applies to
local policies.