The role of women in water governance: the case of Mtubabuba rural areas, Kwazulu Natal
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Date
2022
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University of Zululand
Abstract
Globally, women in rural areas are active in water supply policymaking, preparation and implementation. However, women are often excluded from water management activities; this can cause failed water projects. African cultures assume that women are only concerned about water for domestic purposes and men are responsible for productive water use. This patriarchal approach has not only led to several unsustainable development interventions around water and lack of access to water but has also underestimated women’s role.
Moreover, it is a historical fact that water is a vital resource not only for life survival but also for human development. However, several challenges have a larger influence on our lives and our natural environment including the governance of this precious resource. This therefore demands unlimited determined hard work, financial and knowledge resources to manage water resources for the benefit of all South African citizens.
The importance of women in water has been recognized in the Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) approach. IWRM is a set of ideas to help manage water holistically. It is an integrated approach with more coordinated decision-making across women who face various challenges that hinder them from effectively performing their decision-making roles. Hence, the main aim of this study was to examine the nature of women’s roles in water governance, with a focus on Mtubatuba Municipality of the KwaZulu Nata Province, South Africa. In most rural areas, women are predominantly recognized as the ones primarily responsible for the management of domestic water supply and sanitation. In these societies, women also play the role of family caregivers in terms of the provision of food and nutrition.
The study found that although women are active participants and managers of water use at the household level, their participation, leadership, and professional careers in the national and municipal continue to be minimal. Therefore, women's central role in the provision, management and safeguarding of water must be recognised, prioritised, and planned and enforced at the municipal level. Cultural constraints to women's participation such as exclusion from decision-making and excessive domestic responsibilities are also noted.
The study found that policies and guidelines aiming to empower women in governance have been long established at the national level, the issue is at the local level where some societal norms and values prohibit some societal norms and values prohibits women from making decisions regarding water. Beyond that women often lack confidence in themselves to be led by other women, and some pay attention to their house duties and have limited time to contribute to decision-making even if opportunities prevail.
The study examined the nature of women’s roles in water governance, with a focus on Mtubatuba rural areas, in South Africa. The study was based on the premise that the literature related to women’s role and their governance in the water sector has side-lined the Dublin principles to achieve productivity, decision-making, and equity in water governance. The design of the study was quantitative; the research was grounded in Ecological Economics and African Feminism theory. Close-ended questionnaires were used for data collection. The population size was (271=n) respondents from Mtubatuba rural communities, in South Africa.
Furthermore, the study discovered that South Africa has policies and guidelines that speak to the involvement of women in decision-making, but the implementation of the guidelines is confronted with challenges. As a result of these challenges, there have been several negative impacts such as water scarcity for rural people, failure of water projects and drought and financial wastage. Rural women as a marginalised group do not develop in such a way that even today, they carry a great part of the burden of providing water for household domestic uses. Therefore, the voice of women in water supply should be seriously taken since they represent the most experienced persons with indigenous knowledge of water and household sanitation. Water is essential for agricultural productivity at the rural level. Since women are paramount stakeholders in agricultural production, their involvement in water resources management is key.
Description
Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Anthropology and Development Studies at the University of Zululand, South Africa [2022]