WASH and Gender Marker Tipsheet

Project Title: Community-Based Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement

Project Objective: Improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities in rural communities, focusing on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Gender Marker: 2a (Contributes significantly to gender equality)

Key Gender Considerations:

1. Gender Analysis
2. Participation
3. Accessibility and Safety
4. Empowerment
5. Monitoring and Evaluation

Action Plan:

1. Inclusive Planning

• Activity: Organize community meetings to discuss WASH needs, ensuring at least 50% of participants are women.
• Outcome: Increased understanding of gender-specific needs and higher female participation in planning.

2. Design and Implementation

• Activity: Construct separate latrines for men and women with lockable doors.
• Outcome: Enhanced privacy and security for women and girls using the facilities.

3. Hygiene Promotion

• Activity: Develop and distribute gender-sensitive hygiene education materials, including information on menstrual hygiene management (MHM).
• Outcome: Improved hygiene practices and better MHM among women and girls.

4. Capacity Building

• Activity: Conduct training sessions for women on water purification techniques and sanitation facility maintenance.
• Outcome: Empowered women with skills to manage WASH facilities, increasing their roles in community health.

5. Monitoring and Evaluation

• Activity: Implement a monitoring system to collect sex-disaggregated data on WASH facility usage and satisfaction.
• Outcome: Data-driven insights into the effectiveness of gender-focused WASH interventions.

Tools and Resources

• Gender Analysis Frameworks: Use the Harvard Analytical Framework to guide the initial gender analysis.
• Training Modules: Utilize gender sensitivity training materials from UNICEF or other reputable organizations.
• Community Engagement Strategies: Apply participatory approaches like PRA (Participatory Rural Appraisal) to involve all community members.

Examples of Good Practice

1. Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) with Gender Focus
2. School WASH Programs
3. Emergency WASH Responses

?? Empowering Communities through Inclusive WASH Programs ??

By integrating gender considerations into our WASH projects, we can significantly contribute to gender equality and ensure that water, sanitation, and hygiene services meet the diverse needs of all community members. This approach not only promotes fairness but also enhances the effectiveness and sustainability of WASH interventions.

?? Key Gender Considerations:

1. Gender Analysis: Understanding specific needs and roles of men, women, boys, and girls.
2. Participation: Ensuring equal representation and meaningful involvement of women and men in planning and decision-making.
3. Accessibility and Safety: Designing WASH facilities that are safe, accessible, and considerate of privacy.
4. Empowerment: Providing training and leadership opportunities for women in WASH management.
5. Monitoring and Evaluation: Using sex-disaggregated data to track progress and impact.

?? Action Plan Highlights:

• Organizing inclusive community meetings with at least 50% female participation.
• Constructing separate, secure latrines for men and women.
• Distributing gender-sensitive hygiene education materials, including menstrual hygiene management (MHM).
• Training women in water purification and sanitation maintenance.
• Implementing a monitoring system to collect sex-disaggregated data on WASH facility usage and satisfaction.

?? Examples of Good Practice:

1. Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) with Gender Focus: Encouraging active participation from both men and women.
2. School WASH Programs: Installing girl-friendly toilets with disposal facilities for menstrual waste.
3. Emergency WASH Responses: Establishing safe, accessible WASH facilities in refugee camps.

By adopting these practices, we can create more inclusive, effective, and sustainable WASH programs that truly serve all members of the community. Let's work together to promote gender equality and improve the quality of life for everyone! ????

#WASH #GenderEquality #Sustainability #CommunityDevelopment #Empowerment #InclusivePrograms #WaterSanitationHygiene #MHM #Development #PublicHealth