Stakeholders have urged government to develop national and state level gender action plans for mainstreaming gender policy into water resources management.
They agreed to develop a framework for mainstreaming gender in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)/Water Resources Management (WRM) and allied sectors, as well as monitor gender indices in the sector.
They also advocated curriculum review that will create a career path for females in the sector, proposed a gender thematic group under the auspices of the Head of the Civil service of the Federation (HCSF) led by the Gender Unit of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation (FMWR&S) in collaboration with Network of Female Professionals in WASH in Nigeria (FEMinWASH).
The decision was taken after a report showed that despite the global and national emphasis on gender equity as a catalyst for sustainable development, women remain significantly underrepresented in staffing, leadership and decision-making roles at every level across the WASH and WRM sectors.
The study also highlighted the widening gap between male and female staff as career levels advance, which points to institutional barriers that stifle the growth and contributions of women in WASH and WRM institutions.
The stakeholders spoke at Sector Expert Roundtable Discussion of the findings of the Assessment of Gender Parity in Staffing in Decision-Making Positions in WASH and Water Resource Management Institutions in Nigeria organised by the FMWR&S, FEMinWASH and WASHMATA Initiatives.
The Strategic Advisor of WASHMATA Initiatives and President of FEMinWASH, Dr Boluwaji Onabolu, explained that women are extremely disadvantaged in political positions that influence WASH outcomes: only about one in 20 of the Commissioners for Water Resources (5 per cent) and the local council chairpersons (6 per cent) were female.
“Women are also disadvantaged in policy making and technical positions such as the Head of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agencies (12 per cent); Desk Officers of the Clean Nigeria Campaign at State (22 per cent) and councils (28 per cent) levels.
The proportion of male staff was higher than the proportion of female staff at every staffing level in all the federal and state government institutions assessed.
“The gap widened by 1 -3 times in 75 per cent of state government institutions in the progression between the Scientific Officer to the Assistant Director levels. The gender parity index (GPI) of the state level (0.3) and federal level (0.5) government institutions was off track from the recommended GPI of 0.97 – 1.03.
“The WASH departments of the UN and bilateral organisations are off track from the recommended GPI, with the findings of a GPI of 0.6 for the merged staffing.”
The HCSF, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, the Chief Guest of Honour at the event, set the tone for the discussions by emphasising that the study findings are a call to action as “gender equity and inclusion is not charity – it is an economic and strategic imperative.” She commended FEMinWASH and WASHMATA for their visionary leadership and dedication to promoting inclusiveness, accountability, and evidence-based advocacy in the WASH and WRM sectors.
The HCSF urged all Permanent Secretaries and Directors in the WASH and WRM sectors at both the federal and sub national levels to mainstream gender into planning, budgeting, and recruitment processes, institutionalise gender audits and be deliberate about ensuring that vacancies at senior levels are equitably accessible to qualified women.
Walson-Jack challenged stakeholders to ensure that the recommendations of the study such as the finalisation of a gender policy and action plan, fostering partnerships, increasing women’s access to training and mentorship, and incorporating gender-sensitive curriculum into educational institutions are supported by partners and implemented.
She assured participants of the willingness of her office to collaborate with FEMinWASH, WASHMATA, development partners, and stakeholders to create a more equitable and inclusive future for the WASH and WRM sector, as well as build an enabling environment where every professional can lead, contribute, and transform the lives of Nigerians through safe water and improved sanitation.
Earlier, the Head of the Gender Unit, FMWR&S, Mrs Josephine Erhagbowa, said the roundtable aims to propose sector-wide operational and strategic interventions to strengthen the enabling environment for gender transformative WASH interventions, promote transformative WASH service delivery, and increase the proportion of women in leadership positions in WASH institutions and political positions.
