UN Women: A feminist agenda to tackle the world’s water crisis

The paper emphasizes the need for a feminist approach to addressing the global water crisis, one that recognizes the important role women play in their communities as the main collectors, protectors, and managers of water.

The latest data and projections on the gender and water nexus presented in the paper reveal that the human rights to water and to sanitation are far from realized for many women and girls globally. The paper calls for women’s equal representation in leadership and decision-making and draws a clear connection between social justice, ecological rights, and women’s rights.

The case studies and examples throughout the paper reveal the essential role women have played in the global movement to transform indigenous values and local ecological knowledge into enforceable ecological rights. Pressing data gaps and measurement challenges, along with evidence-based, action-oriented policy recommendations, are also captured and discussed in the paper.

At the SDG 6 Special Event at the UN High-level Political Forum in New York, there will be a side event held by UN Women and UN-Water presenting key findings from the paper and discussion from leading voices in the water and gender sectors.

The side event is called ‘Water for life: Achieving gender equality in a context of the water crisis’ and takes place on Monday 17 July, 8-9.30 am (EDT), UN HQ, New York.

• Download the paper Spotlight on SDG 6: From commodity to common good: A feminist agenda to tackle the world’s water crisis.