Nexus Between Gender and Urban Water Supply: A Feminist Political Perspective
摘要
In most African cities, women and young girls dominate water management at the household level. Yet, their dominance wanes at the higher levels of water management. Using the feminist political perspective, this chapter explores strategies to address inequality and women’s social, cultural, and political subordination in Zimbabwe’s urban water supply sector. The chapter argues that concerted efforts between men and women in addressing water woes in urban Zimbabwe are mutually beneficial. However, the chapter revealed that women’s voices remain weak in terms of urban water supply management. Most women and young girls are subjected to distressing experiences gathering water for the household. Suburbs in various urban centers show some discrepancies regarding the burden of collecting water for the household. In low-income suburbs, women have a more significant role in managing household water issues. However, in the middle-income suburbs, women’s involvement in gathering water for the household is less strenuous, especially in families with automobiles and supportive male counterparts. The chapter recommends a national quota system stipulating that at least half of the members in any water committee or water department within municipalities should be females. This strategy can potentially increase women’s participation in decisions that affect their daily lives—water supply. Furthermore, behavior change programs are necessary to encourage males to increase their involvement in water provision and management at the household level.