PRESS RELEASE: Experts Call for Gender-Responsive Water Policies
Islamabad, Feb 19: Speakers and participants at the joint PODA and WaterAid consultative workshop stressed the importance of policymakers, politicians, and other stakeholders actively engaging women in all aspects of water resource management and related decision-making processes. This call to action seeks to recognize and support the vital role women and vulnerable communities play in managing water resources, especially in the context of droughts, disasters, and other climate-related challenges.
A diverse gathering of stakeholders from various sectors convened at a local hotel, united by a common goal to amplify the voices and roles of women and vulnerable populations in addressing the pressing challenges of water management and governance in Pakistan, a country grappling with severe water stress, ranking 14th globally in terms of water scarcity. This workshop was jointly organized by the Potohar Organization for Development Advocacy (PODA) and WaterAid Pakistan here at local hotel, Islamabad.
Speaking on the occasion in her keynote address, Ms. Romina Khurshid Alam, Coordinator to Prime Minister on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Government of Pakistan said that despite Pakistan’s minimal contribution to climate change, various organizations are proactively working together to safeguard the country’s future. By taking concrete steps to protect vulnerable communities, these efforts aim to create a safer, more resilient Pakistan, ensuring a brighter future with better opportunities for generations to come. Pakistan is facing significant environmental challenges from water scarcity to rising temperatures. The media has a vital role in ensuring that these challenges are understood and acted upon by citizens and decision-makers alike, she added.
“It is ironic that women, who are disproportionately affected by climate-related disasters, are often absent from different phases and levels of decision-making altogether where policies are formulated and funds are allocated,” said Ms. Sameena Nazir, Executive Director of PODA.
The workshop prioritized the development of gender-responsive, inclusive, and climate-resilient strategies within the legal and policy frameworks governing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH). Its primary objectives were to address existing gaps, foster women’s leadership in the WASH sector, and guarantee universal and sustainable access to WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) services.
Mian Muhammad Junaid Country Director of WaterAid Pakistan, emphasized the crucial role of all marginalized segments of society, including women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and transgender individuals, in shaping effective WASH-related policies. Their involvement is vital to ensuring that these policies have a broader and more positive impact on community well-being and development.
Highlighting WaterAid’s approach to gender equality in WASH, Gender Advisor Ms. Raheema Panhwar emphasized that “we must break taboos surrounding critical issues like menstrual hygiene management, ensuring everyone has access to safe, dignified hygiene and sanitation facilities and services, leaving no one behind.”
Speaker from Emphasizing the vital role of water in efforts to cope with effects of climate change and build resilience, the participants called upon policymakers to acknowledge access to safe and clean drinking water as a fundamental constitutional right, essential for safeguarding the health, well-being, and livelihoods of Pakistani citizens.
The speakers emphasized that the staggering burden of inadequate WASH services and poor sanitation on women and girls is alarming. Citing UNICEF statistics, they noted that women and girls spend approximately 200 million hours annually collecting water, equivalent to 8.3 million days or over 22,800 years. This disproportionate impact is further exacerbated by traditional gender roles, which assign women primary responsibility for household hygiene management and water collection. Furthermore, climate-induced disasters, including flooding and contamination of water sources, intensify these challenges, particularly in marginalized communities, where damaged sanitation systems and compromised health and hygiene conditions disproportionately affect women and girls.#ends