Short Abstract:

This session will consider feminist approaches to understanding household water security that highlight the gendered social relations and power dynamics both within households and within communities. The papers will draw on both qualitative and quantitative methods across a range of contexts.

Long Abstract:

Water security is an increasingly important concern, especially in areas where climate change is resulting in floods or droughts. In this session, we will consider feminist approaches to understanding household water security that highlight the gendered social relations and power dynamics both within households and within communities. Within households, water may be collected from multiple sources and allocated across domestic uses and for livelihood activities. Household members may have different preferences about how and where to acquire water and how it should be used. These may vary not only by gender, but also by age and position within the household. Both men and women may engage in livelihoods that rely on water. Women often combine household work with income-generating work, such as cooking food for sale, planting kitchen gardens, or washing clothes. Youth may contribute to these different activities without playing a large role in the decisions. The choices of water sources will depend on both characteristics of the source – distance, water quality, cost – and of the intended use of the water. The person collecting the water may not be the person making the decisions or using the water. Broader gendered dynamics within the community will also shape household water access and allocation. Social relations may determine those who have access to certain private water sources and not others. The papers in this session will use a range of methods, both qualitative and quantitative, across a range of different contexts to explore these gendered dimensions of water security.