SDGs, gender and the goal of water for all

Virginia Muwanigwa Correspondent
This is one of a series of articles analysing progress on gender equality and women’s empowerment 15 years post the adoption of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and ahead of adoption of their successor, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The final global report on the MDGs reveals that the target to halve the proportion of people without access to improved sources of water was met.

This, however, means nothing to the millions of people for whom access to potable water and sanitation remains a dream.

That one of the SDGs therefore commits to ensuring universal access to water and sanitation is welcome.

What is, however, worrying is the inadequate connection being made, in regional policy instruments at least, between lack of guaranteed access to water and sanitation and the possibility of disease outbreaks.

Guaranteeing access to water seems to not be viewed as a strategy to forestall outbreaks and ensure good health among the SADC citizens.

This is despite a definition of health that is wide – a “state of physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being of an individual and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”, according to the SADC Gender Protocol.

That so many of Southern Africa’s people, including in the more developed South Africa, are living in poverty and as a result lacking some of the basic necessities such as running water and sanitary facilities in urban and peri-urban areas, should provide enough foresight of preventable diseases such as cholera and dysentery among others.

One would therefore expect water and sanitation to be part of the SADC Health Protocol, but this is not so.

The limited definition of communicable diseases – HIV, tuberculosis and malaria under MDGs – also ignores the very real threat that water-borne diseases pose to poor populations.

It is therefore welcome that the SDGs promise, by 2030, to “achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all”.

While some sceptics have dismissed the SDGs as mere slogans reminiscent of the past promises, there is general consensus on the need to remain focused on achieving the goals.

Target 2 on the goal expects, in the next 15 years, to achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.

With open defecation no longer a tradition for rural populations but increasingly spreading in the densely populated urban and peri-urban settlements with adverse implications, action is needed urgently.

Some may wonder why there should be special attention to the needs of women and girls where access to water and sanitation is concerned but this is purely in response to social and biological processes.

Social because females are tasked with ensuring access to water and have to walk long distances to fetch it.

If there is no access, women are more affected as their household roles and responsibilities demand the use of water.

Biologically, because while both women and men need sanitary facilities, for the former this is exacerbated during menstruation.

This sixth goal therefore reiterates some of the provisions of the SADC Protocol on Gender which guarantees access to water specifically for women and girls.

Article 18 on access to property and resources in the protocol seeks to “… end all discrimination against women and girls with regard to water” while Article 26 commits to “… ensure the provision of hygiene and sanitary facilities and nutritional needs of women, including women in prison”.

At a continental level, the AU Women Protocol exhorts governments to “provide women with access to clean drinking water…”

It is commonly known that clean drinking water is largely unavailable and that water quality is less than that proposed by the World Health Organisation.

In Zimbabwe, the media has reported on poor water quality triggering some policy dialogue.

However, in a situation where access to the precious liquid itself is not guaranteed to some people, it appears redundant to focus on quality.

This, however, needs to be done and SDG 6 cites reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimising release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater, and increasing recycling and safe reuse as a strategy to improve water quality. Some corporates have been charged for releasing deadly chemicals into rivers.

Target 4 under the goal seeks to “substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity, and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity”.

Water use efficiency has been linked to cost recovery, which remains a contentious issue as the right to water may be curtailed by inability to pay.

This is a tall order that requires linkages with strategies for realising Goal 9 on infrastructure, hopefully includes water and Goal 11 on cities and human settlements whose upgrading of slums should include provision of water and sanitation facilities. Inclusivity will be guaranteed by ensuring affordability.

“By 2030 implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary co-operation as appropriate.

“By 2020 protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.”

These two targets are very relevant to the work of the Zambezi River Commission, the regional body tasked with oversight of not only shared watercourses by the nine riparian states in Southern Africa but also their diverse and sometimes conflicting priorities and concerns. Access to and management of water rights is a hot issue beginning at community level and when not properly dealt with, has been known to lead to con- flicts.

SDG 6 plans in the next 15 years to “expand international co-operation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies”.

Considering that the efficacy of the SDGs will only be proven in the extent to which they are implemented, this target provides a pointer to possible development support for water-related sector.

While positioned last, the target to “support and strengthen the participation of local communities for improving water and sanitation management” should not be seen as peripheral to ensuring increased availability and sustainable management of water for all. There is need for local ownership of whatever programmes are adopted, if they are to be sustainable. Considering the access dividend, most communities would be ready to participate in ensuring availability where this is within their control.

• Virginia Muwanigwa is a gender activist and Chairperson of the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe. She is also the Director of the Humanitarian Information Facilitation Centre (HIFC).