Women’s crucial role in collective operation and maintenance of drinking water infrastructure in rural Uganda.
Abstract
Operation and maintenance of communally owned water sources in Uganda still pose challenges despite the devolution of water management from the state to user communities. Using a mixed-methods approach and a gender-sensitive collective action analytical framework, this article quantifies the role of women in drinking-water governance and identifies barriers to women’s participation. The findings show that women not only are more willing to contribute but have also stated higher actual contribution than their male counterparts. The article outlines the institutional and individual attributes constraining women’s effective participation in water management and suggests how to enhance women’s participation in water governance. We argue that a strategy built on water users’ collective action in Uganda has to be built on women’s participation through effective rules and monitoring mechanisms, as well as on long-term sensitization and awareness creation on gender stereotypes that hitherto hinder women’s participation.
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While quotas have resulted in more women in leadership positions, women remained underrepresented in committees and leadership.
“Still, while quotas have resulted in more women in leadership positions, [151] women remained underrepresented in committees and leadership [83,102,137].”
From Water, sanitation, and women’s empowerment: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [102]
WASH programs have inhibited women's decision-making participation by targeting men or reinforcing gender norms.
“WASH programs also have inhibited women's decisionmaking participation by targeting men [102, 124] or reinforcing gender norms [71,126].”
From Water, sanitation, and women’s empowerment: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [102]
In Uganda, women were four times more willing to contribute funds to water provision than men.
“In Uganda, women were four times more willing to contribute funds to water provision than men [102].”
From Water, sanitation, and women’s empowerment: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [102]
Women have faced financial or asset-related barriers to participation in community-level initiatives, including a lack of land ownership for water committees, an inability to sustain required monetary contributions for self-help groups, and a lack of financial incentive and opportunity costs.
“Women have faced financial or asset-related barriers to participation in community-level initiatives, including a lack of land ownership for water committees (Peru [149] and Uganda [102]), an inability to sustain required monetary contributions for self-help groups (India [72]), and a lack of financial incentive and opportunity costs (India [69,89,125] and Ecuador [79]).”
From Water, sanitation, and women’s empowerment: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [102]
Inclusion does not guarantee participation, voice, or decision-making power; women's participation in WASH-related governance has been constrained by a lack of awareness about the rules, a lack of transparency or distrust in political institutions, husbands or sons attending meetings in their place, and being ignored by men.
“Yet, inclusion does not guarantee participation, voice, or decision-making power.Women's participation in WASH-related governance has been constrained by a lack of awareness about the rules (Uganda [102]), a lack of transparency or distrust in political institutions (Kenya [87]), husbands or sons attending meetings in their place (India [106]), and being ignored by men (Kenya [61]).”
From Water, sanitation, and women’s empowerment: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [102]
Research in Uganda found women constituted less than a third of members and were rarely in leadership positions on water user committees despite guidelines to have women comprise 50% of membership and serve in influential positions.
“Research in Uganda found women constituted less than a third of members and were rarely in leadership positions on water user committees despite guidelines to have women comprise 50% of membership and serve in influential positions [102].”
From Water, sanitation, and women’s empowerment: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [102]
In rare cases, cultural beliefs facilitated women's public participation.
“In rare cases, cultural beliefs facilitated women's public participation; women were described as more trustworthy on water user committees in Uganda and Ghana [83,102].”
From Water, sanitation, and women’s empowerment: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [102]
Women were described as more trustworthy on water user committees in Uganda and Ghana.
“In rare cases, cultural beliefs facilitated women's public participation; women were described as more trustworthy on water user committees in Uganda and Ghana [83,102].”
From Water, sanitation, and women’s empowerment: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [102]
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- Authors
- Naiga, R., Penker, M., & Hogl, K.
- Affiliations
- Makerere University (UG)
- BOKU University (AT)
- Corresponding author
- Naiga, Resty
- Venue
- Society & Natural Resources
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2017-03
- Volume
- 30
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 506-520
- ISSN
- 0894-1920 (ISSN-L)
- 1521-0723
- OpenAlex
- W2592499300
- Cited by
- 25
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 0.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Society & Natural Resources (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Water Science and Technology › Water Resource Management and Quality
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Water Governance and Infrastructure
- Social Sciences › Education › Gender, Education, and Development Issues
- Keywords
- women's participation, drinking water infrastructure, operation and maintenance, collective action, water governance, gender stereotypes, rural water management, barriers to women's participation, Uganda
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