Equal Participation of Women in Water Policy and Decision Making Called For

    Kyoto, March 18, 2003 (ANTARA) - Participants of the 3rd World Water Forum's session on Gender and Water Alliance has called for equal participation of women in water management.
        Good governance and an integrated approach to water management implies that women and their organizations can participate on an equal footing in policy and decision making at the implementation level, according to Maliha Hussein, Chairwoman of gender and water alliance, at a press conference in Kyoto, Japan, Tuesday.

        The session made a strong message that women do not need to be defensive in advocating their roles in water management or preservation of the environment, because woman population in the world is 50 per cent, so it accounts for itself, she said.
        Without having to be defensive, Indian women, for instance, have always been aggressive on the ground in defending the environment, said Maliha.

        According to Maliha, gender mainstreaming is still a long way to go, and it is only advanced by gender-tools such as gender responsible budgeting.

        Alice Bourman of the Netherlands Council of Women told the press conference that water is everybody's business, men and women alike. In the 2nd World Water Forum in the Hague in 2000, thousands of women actively participated in discussions and called for getting women into action in integrated water sources management.

        "We have been calling for a commitment to ensure equal participation of women in discussions on water, but so far it is not yet in reality. It's just on paper," said Alice.

        The session on Monday was organized by the Gender and Water Alliance in collaberation with other organizations working actively to promote gender within the water and sanitation sector.

        Sri Lankan Minister of Irrigation and Water Management, a woman, was attending the session which discussed topics such as "The beneficiaries: men and women", "The implementers at local level", and the Policy.

        The on-going 3rd World Water Forum being held in Kyoto, Shiga and Osaka, in Japan, 16-23 March 2003, is having 337 sessions discussing 33 major themes such as water and gender, water and poverty, water and climate and water and culture. Over 10.000 people, including around 150 ministers, are attending the Forum organized by the World Water Council. (t/f001/Y001/18/03/:3 19:18)