Gender and climate change must be fully integrated into water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) systems, and efforts to expand them, for everyone, everywhere to have access by 2030. This new report highlights some key opportunities and approaches for applying a gender-responsive and climate-resilient lens to WASH.
By 2030, all WASH systems and efforts to expand them must fully integrate the issues of gender and climate change. This report sets out the key interlinkages between gender equality, climate change and WASH systems. It highlights three key opportunities to address the gender inequalities and climate impacts that often arise during work to expand or improve access to WASH services:
1. Understanding diverse needs and vulnerabilities to reach everyone
2. Connecting fragmented silos to generate true resilience
3. Addressing power imbalances for meaningful solutions
The report also identifies four approaches that can be combined to address these opportunities: initial multi-contextual analysis, inclusive partnerships, multi-sectoral engagement and the integration of diverse knowledge and experiences. These insights are valuable to those working to achieve SDG6, from national governments to donors to development partners.