Imagine a world where women and girls have equal access to information, technology advancement and innovation; Imagine a world where Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) were not a construct solely assumed by the male gender but a ration to the female gender too. Finally imagine a society where the advancements in Water Technology are gender inclusive!
Societies are seeing unprecedented progress in gender equality and female participation at all levels in our societies, specifically the world of science. We have seen a birth and rebirth of women in water technology which can be used to facilitate water collection especially in less developed countries acting as a ‘tool of liberation for women’ from the daily, mundane yet most challenging task of fetching water from far and hard to reach sources; a tedious and time consuming activity that had previously been relegated to women. (Singh 2010).
Women in arid areas - where climate change has made life harsh and hard to go by and where water is becoming increasingly scarce- are learning techniques to adapt to new weather patterns which will build their resilience, thanks to new technological innovations and advancements.
GWPEA has penetrated communities, training groups of women on their mandate and responsibilities in taking on leadership roles in Integrated Water Resources Management, receiving and disseminating information and making informed decisions that have abated the challenges of climate change. In the Horn of Africa, women have been brought closer to accessing information to weather patterns through training in a meteorological Information Management System, which was developed by GWPEA together with partners.
To commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day, six voices have come together to narrate their journeys to innovation and technology in the water sector. Here are a few excerpts from their stories.
