GARNET - Global Applied Research Network

Garnet symbol (Global Applied Research Network)
Gender Issues Network

~..	who has access to information?;
	.
~..	who does physical work?;
	.
~..	who makes decisions?;
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~..	who gets benefits: water, training, jobs?; and
	.
~..	who controls benefits: services, income, training?

What is the Gender Issues Network GEN NET?
The Gender Issues Network is a mandated activity of the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), the worldwide alliance of professionals on water supply, sanitation and waste management. The WSSCC considered it essential to integrate gender issues and activities in the sector, because of the significance of women's and men's participation for effective and sustainable water supply and sanitation services. The aim of GEN NET is to collect and disseminate information on gender-related issues and activities in water supply, sanitation and the promotion of health and hygiene. The network also shares experiences and lessons learned, giving practical examples.

Why Gender?
Many project reports, studies, research and personal accounts have proved that the use, maintenance and financing of water supplies, sanitation systems and hygiene improvements require the participation of men and women in the planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of projects. Participation of women, when done in the right way, has benefited the projects and the women and their families:

~..	women have initiated and promoted installation of improved water supply and sanitation facilities;
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~..	they have made suggestions on design and location that enhanced use and reduced wastage;
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~..	their commitment and effectiveness in community maintenance and management is high; and
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~..	female staff have been essential in ensuring that projects meet the demands of women and get their participation.

Often the participation of women is seen as being synonymous with a gender approach. However, a gender approach is more than just women's participation. Gender concerns women and men, how they cooperate and share work, decisions and control in projects and programmes. A gender approach enhances the participation of women and men in such a way that both sexes contribute to and benefit equitably from improvements.

Some characteristics of a gender approach:

~..	project information is equally relevant and accessible for women and men;
	.
~..	men and women of different classes, ethnic groups, age groups etc. get an informed say in choices and designs of facilities which they will use, manage and finance;
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~..	local payment, maintenance and management systems are planned in consultation with men and women to reflect their different conditions and knowledge;
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~..	projects not only make women responsible for hygiene improvements, but also address men on their responsibilities, such as financing, their own behaviour change and educating children;
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~..	projects avoid that women only get unpaid functions with mainly physical work, such as cleaning around taps and collecting tariffs, while only men sit in the organizations where management and financing decisions are made and the service is controlled; and
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~..	both men and women take part in training and have access to jobs in old and new tasks, such as technology and management by women, health and hygiene improvement by men.

What makes a Programme or Project Gender-Sensitive?

~..	the design process includes gender analysis;
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~..	objectives and strategies are explicit about gender equity;
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~..	project interventions are based on the results of the gender analysis;
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~..	teams have a gender balance and gender skills at all levels;
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~..	data in monitoring and Management Information Systems (MIS) is gender-disaggregated;
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~..	evaluation of the staff includes gender-sensitive behaviour and performance; and
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~..	the gender approach is integrated in the social and technical components of projects.

Activities and Achievements:
The Gender Issues Working Group of the WSSCC began in 1991. It has been a network since 1996. The Gender Issues Network keeps in contact through the GEN NET newsletter. Several publications saw the light between 1991 and 1997. The Gender Issues Sourcebook for Water and Sanitation Projects and the Sourcebook for Gender Issues at the Policy Level in the Water and Sanitation Sector give information and tools on incorporating gender issues at the project/programme and policy levels.

The book Gender in Water Resources Management, Water Supply and Sanitation: roles and realities revisited is a literature review on how international principles of water resources management are applied in a gender-sensitive manner in water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion projects. A report, Gender in Education and Training for Water Supply and Sanitation, addresses the opportunities for girls and women for schooling and work in the sector.

At the time of the Fourth Global Forum GEN NET had well over 60 members from 29 countries. Some 30 percent of the members are men.

Future Issues:
In the coming years, GEN NET will:

~..	expand contacts with organizations and persons working on gender in other water-related sectors;
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~..	strengthen the links with the Global Water Partnership and with institutes dealing with gender and agriculture, and environment;
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~..	establish regional networks to facilitate the sharing of knowledge, capabilities and contacts on gender in water supply, sanitation and hygiene;
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~..	expand working relationships with sector ministries, departments, utilities and boards;
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~..	contribute to the UNDP/World Bank initiative to assess the linkages between gender-sensitive and demand-responsive approaches and sustained services in water supply and sanitation; and
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~..	continue to integrate a gender approach in the sector's participatory tools and techniques.

Membership
GEN NET welcomes as members professionals in water supply, sanitation and hygiene who have an expertise in gender issues or are interested to develop such expertise. Where possible preference is given to institutional membership.

The Gender Issues Working Group of the WSSCC began in 1991. It has been a network since 1996.

Inquiries about membership of the Gender Issues Network can be sent to:
The Coordinator,
Gender Issues Network,
c/o IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre,
PO Box 93190,
2509 AD The Hague,
The Netherlands.

Tel. +31-70-30 689 30
Fax. +31-70-35 899 64
Email: general@irc.nl

The following organisations have reference books, training packages and guidelines on gender and the water and sanitation sector available, some free and others at cost:

~..	CIDA Communications Branch, 200 Promenade du Portage, Hull, Quebec, K1A 0G4, Canada. Fax: +1 (819)953-6088 Email: info@acdi-cida.gc.ca Website: http://w3.acdi-cida.gc.ca
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~..	IIED, 3 Endsleigh Street, London, WC1H 0DD, UK. Fax: +44-71-388 2826 Email: iiedagri@gn.apc.org
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~..	IIMI, P.O. Box 2075, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Fax: +94-1-866854 Email: iimi@cgnet.com
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	INSTRAW, AP 21747, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Fax: +1 809-685 2117 Email: instraw.hq.sd@codetel.net.do

	IRC, PO Box 93190, 2509 AD The Hague, The Netherlands. Fax: +31-70-358 99 64 Email: francis@irc.nl Website: http://www.irc.nl/

	Oxfam, 274 Banbury Road, OX2 7D2, Oxford, UK. Fax: +44-1865-312600 Email: oxfam@oxfam.org.uk

	Sida, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, S-105 25 Stockholm, Sweden. Fax: +46-8-698 5653 Website: http://www.sida.se

	Sida, Department for Policy and Legal Services, Gender Group, S-105 25 Stockholm, Sweden. Fax: +46-8-698 5653 Email: ulrike.josefsson@sida.se Website: http://www.sida.se

	UNICEF, 3 UN Plaza, 10017 New York, USA. Tel: 1-212 326-7000 Fax: 1-212 88876

	World Bank, attn. Ms. Mari Dhokai, Room S4-001 Fax +1-202-477 0164 Email: mdhokai@worldbank.org

~..	WSSCC, Mr. Ranjith Wirasinha, c/o WHO, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland. Fax +41-22-791 4847 Email: wirasinhar@who.ch

Updated 31/01/03

Maintained by f.odhiambo@lboro.ac.uk and j.fisher1@lboro.ac.uk