By Zaheer Ahmad
Who manages home can manage anything, yes, women our home managers, in water resource management women role is pivotal, and no doubt in it to provide and share the role of water management with women, will boost water usage efficiently. In this regard SPO has played a significant role for inclusion of women role in water management, the recent bill passed by Sindh Assembly, will empower women in the realm of water management is an example of public private participation, where credit goes to Sindh Assembly and to SPO.
Women are the secret weapon for better water resource management.
Especially in developing countries, men and women may have different priorities and responsibilities for water use. In addition to farming alongside men, women are often responsible for fetching water and using it for domestic chores such as cleaning, cooking and washing. Women are already the primary water decision-makers at the household level.
And when women influence water management, their communities get measurably better outcomes—including better-functioning water systems, expanded access, and economic and environmental benefits. UNDP research on 44 water projects across Asia and Africa shows that when both men and women engage in shaping water policies and institutions, communities use water services more and sustain them for longer. Research also shows that women share water more equitably than men do, especially in times of scarcity.
As provisional assembly already passed the SWMO-2018 bill for women inclusion in water management on 13th January 2021. THE SINDH WATER MANAGEMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2018. PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY OF SINDH NOTIFICATION KARACHI, THE 13THJANUARY, 2021. A brief overview of the law is; This gives a significant empowerment to women of Sindh in the decision making as well as to improve their socio-economic development in order to play a role for water management. Here SPO struggled for amendment in SWMO-2018 bill regarding women inclusion in water management and the bill was passed in the provincial assembly, cannot be ignored. As section 2 and 3 of the amended law make a roam for women inclusion, that stated as In Section 42, sub-section (1), the following (1) shall be inserted:
“Two women of the FO command area, of one may be local UC member, having strong farming background in irrigated agriculture and water, provided that one women member shall be landless.”
“Two prominent women of the AWB command area having strong farming background in irrigated agriculture and water if available, preferably member of Board of Management of any FO”
Now, 02 women inclusion in farmer organizations, area water board, and watercourse associations.
And, another Amendment in section 56 Sindh Water Management Ordinance No. XL of 2002. “In addition to elected members of WCA, the Board of WCA shall consist of two women members preferably share croppers of same water course, where WCA is formed. Amendment in Section 70 of Sindh Water Management Ordinance No. XL of 2002.
Section 5 of amended law, “Two women members, one shall be prominent women activist/lawyer/journalist and one shall be prominent women agriculturalist. Above are more than a small step for a giant leap.
As per objectives of social development cell is to promote farmers’ participation in institutional reforms and irrigation system, and facilitate gender participation, here SPO plays the role to help government of Sindh.
And SPO also facilitated SIDA for the development of rules of business regarding women’s inclusion in Farmer organizations, watercourses associations, and area water boards but the Rules of business are not approved yet by the SIDA law department.
SPO is implementing ‘Women’s Increased Access to Water Resources and Agricultural Markets’ a project that builds on the social empowerment processes initiated under “Women and Marginalized Groups, Natural Resource Management and Peace-building: Unlocking the Potential Strategic Partnership Project” and seeks to adopt an integrated approach in the target areas to strengthen all the key dimensions of women’s empowerment – social, economic and political. The project also aligns with SDG goal 15 which demands to achieve gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls.
The project’s immediate objective is:
1. Improved role of women in water resource management to enhance their incomes and to enable them to effectively participate and contribute to decision-making in domestic and public spheres.
Located within the women’s empowerment realm, the project aims to execute the following strategies:
• Deepen and broaden the process of social mobilization to cover 500 women organized in three districts in 20 self-help groups and further grouped at cluster and District levels.
• Expand economic opportunities and choices of the selected 150 small landholder women, 100 landless sharecroppers, 200 women in Livestock rearing and 50 Bagri women through agro-enterprise development that leads to sustainable increase in their household incomes and enables them to play an enhanced and strategic role in the economic sphere.
• Enhancing political participation and representation of women in Water Course Associations so that they contribute effectively in local decision-making regarding water resource management.
The program envisages working with three cohorts of women, small landholder women, and landless sharecroppers and livestock owners in the Badin, Tando Allahyar and Hyderabad Districts of Sindh. It aims to strengthen women’s social, economic and political empowerment by applying an integrated approach. It will demonstrate sustainable models of women’s empowerment by strengthening their technical, institutional, managerial and financial literacy skills so that women are able to play a larger role in the social and economic development of their villages. Simultaneously, it will strengthen women’s participation and leadership in political processes and local decision-making bodies by building the capacity of the women in the area of the gender sensitive approaches, peace building, Water Course Management, Judicious usage of Water for tail end users.
The Project seeks to bring about sustained improvement in the quality of life of the rural women in Sindh by diversifying livelihood opportunities and strengthening low-income rural markets, which can also contribute towards the national development goals of inclusive economic growth, and poverty alleviation. Rural women face multiple challenges, which include lack of access to financial resources, inadequate managerial and technical skills, and little access to market information, high levels of vulnerabilities to disasters and crisis and an inhibitive regulatory environment. In these circumstances, the Project intends to create economic choices for these rural women through a combination of efforts to build rural assets and skills for the poor rural women and help them to diversify their income generating activities by stimulating engagement not only in value addition to rural products but also in non-farm production and services that provide additional employment and income opportunities. Hence SPO must continue to play the role to uplift ruler Sindh women both socially and economically.
Research on women, peace and security overall provides strong evidence that countries with greater women’s empowerment and gender equality are also more peaceful and stable. Women play important roles in formal and informal peace processes, and policymakers now widely recognize gender as a key factor in how people experience conflict, and in how we can reduce it. Given that women can be powerful water stewards, it stands to reason that women’s involvement in water management can also reduce water-related risks and conflicts.
