Concluding remarks

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Ultimately, water and gender in Africa is a topic that needs to be further researched and distributed in education in order to improve the equality situation in many African countries. This post will sum up what I have discussed with some ideas looking forward. I have tried to explore different regions of Africa such as Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya in order not to restrict myself to individual cultures and societies. Following the path set out by my introductory post, this blog has discussed the ways in which women are discriminated due to a lack of freshwater availability such as through the threats of time poverty, sexual harassment and the challenge of managing menstruation. I think I have been most surprised by the topic of menstruation because I cannot fathom having to give up my education for a completely natural process. However, I have also tried to demonstrate that it is not all negative. There are systems being put in place to try to alleviate these problems such as through the aid of NGOs, the development of education and the provision of waterless facilities.



'A toilet is not just a toilet' - toilet facilities constructed in Dida-Yaokro, Cote d'Ivoire. Source

One of the concerns that I have questioned a number of times is whether infrastructural and technological changes to water provisioning can aid women to its full potential when one of the challenges are some of the cultural norms that exist. If women are continued to be expected to collect water and existing taboos around sexual harassment and the menstrual cycle are not stopped, I would argue that women will still be disadvantaged. No matter how close a well may be, or a sanitation facility, if women are still expected to collect water and are frowned upon for being on their periods, they will not be able to complete school or find employment. Hence, I believe the most important way to match water development with female empowerment is through educating both genders on these issues. Fortunately, this topic is becoming more and more prevalent in academic literature, and there has also been an awareness that sanitation is its own issue that needs to be addressed; not a branch of freshwater provisioning. I hope to take my interest in gender in Africa further in the future, and this blogging exercise has unquestionably heightened my enthusiasm for it. For those of you who have followed this blog (and anyone else who has found the time to read individual posts), it would be great if you could spread the word about Menstrual Hygiene Day on the 28th May 2020. Thank you for reading!

Comments

  1. Kayley MillerJanuary 10, 2020 at 4:49 AM

    Great Post and overall blog, have enjoyed reading! I think you make some compelling points over what needs to be thought about in order to see any real change. You mention 'empowerment' as a way of creating development, in what ways do you think these can be done effectively, what would your recommendations be?

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    Replies
    1. Zoe TaylorJanuary 11, 2020 at 2:17 AM

      Hi Kayley! Thank you so much - I have really enjoyed working on it. I believe that the key to improving the water situation for women is down to educating women and then distributing this knowledge across all cohorts and genders. If women are provided with the understanding that menstruation is a natural occurrence that should not be shameful, it will hopefully boost their dignity even if they receive critical remarks from boys and men. Furthermore, if women are given to opportunity to give advice and input on water projects seeing as they are most targeted by it then it will improve and reduce their time poverty instead of having an overarching authority programme which is not context specific. I think what I am ultimately trying to say is that in my opinion, for 'development' to occur, women need to be given an equal voice to men.

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