Empowering rural women in water resource development

When Stella Tereka left the Gender and Water Training Workshop in Akosombo, Ghana, her understanding of integrating gender perspectives into water management had been profoundly transformed. As a gender and climate change specialist, Stella has been championing rural women’s empowerment through programming, implementation, and monitoring since 2012. However, this was the first time she witnessed such close collaboration between gender and water experts. "It’s very important to engage with water experts from the field,” Stella explained. “We can’t address women’s roles in water collection and distribution without understanding the technical aspects of its construction, transportation, and impact on social equity.”

In rural Africa, women and girls often bear the exhausting responsibility of fetching water, while their access to and decision-making about water use remains limited. At the same time, communities dependent on rain-fed agriculture struggle with floods and droughts induced by climate change. These intersecting challenges demand gender-sensitive solutions in water management—a necessity that is often overlooked, despite women’s critical roles at both household and community levels.

“With the knowledge gained from this training, I envision a future where no one is left behind,” Stella remarked. She emphasized that providing water access alone isn’t enough for women farmers. “The solutions must also be economically viable, enabling women to participate in small-scale farming and other productive activities.”

Building capacity for inclusive water management

The Akosombo training from November 25^th to 29^th last week, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), focused on integrating gender perspectives into water resource development. Bringing together over 50 experts from 20 African countries, the workshop aimed to embed Gender-Transformative Approaches (GTAs) into rainwater harvesting (RWH) projects.

Participants explored foundational gender concepts and applied gender analysis techniques under the guidance of gender experts from FAO’s Regional Office for Africa and Rome Headquarters. The event fostered dynamic exchanges between gender and water specialists, leading to innovative solutions such as multi-purpose water systems and locally adapted rainwater harvesting methods.

“Gender-transformative approaches are not just about equity—they’re about building sustainable systems,” said Bethel Terefe, Senior Gender Expert at FAO’s Regional Office for Africa. “When water experts incorporate gender sensitivity into infrastructure design, the impact can become really transformational.”

For Naeem Mohammad, a land and water management specialist since 2019, the workshop marked a turning point. “Traditionally, our focus has been on community participation, but this training highlighted the importance of gender-sensitive approaches at both field and household levels,” he shared.

Naeem introduced practical solutions like underground tanks requiring minimal maintenance and safe water storage systems operated with ease. “It’s as simple as turning a tap,” he explained. “These underground tanks don’t require frequent cleaning or maintenance; women can be trained to operate them on their own.” Naeem emphasized how such systems can reduce labor and safety risks for women, so that they no longer need to walk for very long distance, multiple times a day just to fetch enough water for the family.

The training also inspired Naeem to think about improving water systems on the field level. His focus is now on facilities that improve soil moisture, storage of water ponds at farms, and climate resilience under droughts and flooding. And the design of such systems will consider and meet the needs of all stakeholders. “For example, the water collection ponds in the field can be designed in a way that benefit women, youth, and people with disabilities equally,” Naeem reflected. “They should be user-friendly for everyone.”

Bridging the Gender gap and transforming communities

The workshop encouraged participants to adopt a holistic view about water management and will bring about visible changes to project implementation in the future. Stella acknowledged that her previous work often addressed isolated aspects of water systems. “We rarely considered the entire system—from construction to distribution,” she noted. The training highlighted how infrastructure could either empower or marginalize women, depending on its design.

For Naeem, the shift was more personal for being gender sensitive. While his expertise lay in technical solutions for irrigation and soil conservation, he paid less attention to the domestic water needs such as cooking, cleaning, and livestock care—tasks predominantly managed by women. “We were missing opportunities at household level,” he said. “This training clarified the link between gender considerations and productivity. With the same land and water resources, we can now increase productivity by maximizing the use of our precious rainwater at home.”

The Akosombo workshop demonstrated that integrating gender and water management is both a technical necessity and a moral imperative. For gender specialists and gender focal points, it underscored the importance of viewing holistically the water systems that empower women and promote economic productivity. For water experts, it unveiled the untapped potential of women in water management and addressing household-level water challenges.

The event set a powerful precedent, leaving both gender and water experts motivated to apply their learnings to their work. For FAO, the workshop reaffirmed its commitment to fostering gender equality, enhancing climate resilience, and improving food security in Africa’s most vulnerable communities.  Learn more about FAO’s gender integration initiatives here.