In Dushanbe, the International Pre-Conference Forum “Women and Water” was held on 10 June at the “Kokhi Navruz” palace. It became an important platform for discussing the role of women and ensuring gender equality in water resources management.
The Forum was organised under the coordination of the Committee on Women and Family Affairs under the Government of Tajikistan and UN Women Tajikistan in cooperation with the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR), World Bank, Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED).
Participants of the forum – high-ranking officials, including the Deputy Prime Minister of Tajikistan, representatives of the UN, EU, World Bank and other governmental and international organisations from 27 countries exchanged experience. They developed recommendations aimed at strengthening the role of women in water issues.
“We women bring unique perspectives, priorities and skills. Our participation in decision-making processes leads to more holistic and effective water policies and practices,” says Yasmin Siddiqi, Director, of AFNR covering Central West and South Asia regions at the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
By 2030, ADB plans to mobilise $100 billion in climate finance. Studies have shown that countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change tend to have high levels of gender inequality. Yasmina Siddiqi reaffirmed this correlation in her presentation.
ADB is now leading a new initiative to build women’s resilience to heat stress in Asia and the Pacific and to expand access to finance and skills development for women in climate-smart agriculture and water management.
Today, women occupy only 6 per cent of corporate board seats and only 18 per cent of legislative seats in the entire region.
Sameh Wahba, Regional Director for Sustainable Development for Europe and Central Asia at the World Bank said there is a virtual absence of women in water management.
“In 22 % of companies in the water sector, there is not a single female engineer, and in 12 % there is not a single female manager. This is a clear sign that we need to urgently address the problem of gender inequality in this sphere,” emphasised Sameh Wahba.
“We know that only 38% of graduates in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) fields are women. In traditional societies, that number is even lower. In my team, one of my colleagues became the first female engineer in the whole country,” he added.
Sameh Wahba also noted that the proportion of licensed female engineers and managers in the water sector is only 3%.
In addition to lack of access to clean water, women around the world, especially in developing countries, face a severe shortage of menstrual hygiene products. This phenomenon is called “menstrual poverty” and it seriously affects women’s health, education and social lives.
“500 million women around the world do not have access to menstrual hygiene products. This is not just a matter of comfort, it is a matter of health, dignity and human rights,” said Barbara Pompili, Special Envoy of the French President for the One Water Summit.
Lack of hygiene products often causes girls to miss school, which negatively affects their performance and educational opportunities. The use of inappropriate materials instead of hygiene products leads to infections and inflammatory diseases. Menstruation remains taboo in many cultures, and lack of access to hygiene products can increase the stigmatisation and isolation of women.
“Access to water, sanitation and hygiene is critical to the well-being of women and girls,” said Barbara Pompili.
Addressing gender inequalities in access to water and sanitation is key to the countries’ economic development,” she said.
Tajikistan, as an upstream country, has 60 per cent of Central Asia’s water resources. It has 947 rivers, 1,300 mountain peaks and 200 springs of clean water. Access to clean water will only be possible if water sources are preserved and protected.
All speakers at the Forum “Women and Water” unanimously called not to limit themselves to discussions, but to move to concrete actions. It is necessary to empower women at all levels, involving them in decision-making processes, project implementation and water resources management.
There were also calls for more ambitious planning. Development programmes should include long-term goals which go beyond 2030.
All ideas and proposals voiced at this forum will be summarised in a final resolution. This resolution could become the basis for an international action plan to be adopted at the main conference taking place in Dushanbe till 13 June 2024.