Women Leadership for Sustainable Rural Water Supply and Sanitation In Cambodia

The views expressed in this paper are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Governors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The countries listed in this paper do not imply any view on ADB's part as to sovereignty or independent status or necessarily conform to ADB's terminology.

Mr. Nuon Pichnimith Deputy Director/ Project Manager Ministry of Rural Development Cambodia

SECOND RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0156-CAM)

Womens Leading Position in RWSS Sector

Women are more concerned with household level water security and family health improvements Women are key stakeholders of RWSS sector Women are more responsible for water management at home and community level Unsafe water harm womens health Most participants in hygiene education are 2 women.

SECOND RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0156-CAM)

Different and Distinct Roles of Men and Women in Water and Sanitation
Task Collect and carry water to the house Make decisions on construction of WSS facilities, their location and design Responsible for household water management Participate in training on construction, and O&M Responsible for cleaning of the house, latrine, bathroom and disposal of rubbish Responsible for household wastewater management Role in educating children on good hygiene behaviors (proper use of latrines, hand-washing, water use, etc) Always Sometime share responsibilities Decides on location and the way in which it is released Always Men Sometimes Often Women Almost always Sometimes influence Always Project actions Education in water safety Female participation on WSUG Board Male participation Equal opportunities for women in O&M trainings Awareness programs to men and women Opportunities to women on WSUG Board 40% male participation in all awareness program

Participates but not in decision making Always

SECOND RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0156-CAM)

Gender Agenda in the RWSS Projects

MRD adopts Guidelines on Gender Mainstreaming in the RWSS sector, The Project implement the Gender Action Plan in project contexts as per the Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines Project ensuring at least 40% of each WSUG (Water and Sanitation User Group) board is female, one woman and one man of WSUG board members (50%) trained in water supply O & M. Community mobilization teams include female staffs at least 25% at least 40% of all trained persons are female; at least 40% of all hygiene and sanitation education participants are male.

Water and Sanitation User Group (WSUG)

To ensure the rural people have sustain access to safe water and sanitation. Operation and maintenance of water point. To reducing the water and sanitation related diseases. To mobilize community resource to construct safe water and household sanitation facilities.

SECOND RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0156-CAM)

Key Roles & Responsibilities of WSUG Board

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WSUG Board Consist of 5 Persons (at least 40% are women) Position of the Board member: Chairman 1 person Vice-Chairman 1 person Member in charge of Finance and Cash 1 person Member in Charge of Technical and Hygienic maintenance 2 person ( 1 man and 1 woman)

Training Tasks for WSUG Board

Technical Training (repair hand pump well, find spare part and cost) Water Use and Health Education (WUHE), (how to maintain and clean water source, explain importance of use of safe water, benefit of use sanitary latrine) Management (TOR, Leadership and organization management, budget management, M&E)

SECOND RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0156-CAM)

Womens Roles in Rural Water Supply Management

Commune Committee for Women and Children (CCWC of Commune Council) member (Woman) participate in the commune level management and coordination for rural water supply programs Women participation at least 40% of WSUG Board members (2 out of 5) One man and one woman (from the WSUG Board) are responsible for technical and hygienic (O&M) maintenance of water supply system At least one woman will participate in the training on Operation and maintenance of the water supply system Water Use and Hygiene Education and Water Safety Plan

SECOND RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0156-CAM)

Achievements of Female representation in management

No 1 Gender Targets in RWSSP-2 At least 50% women as commune- and village-level focal persons Achievement (2013) 50% commune facilitators 46% village focal persons

At least 40% women on WSUG Board (2/5). Messages of women's decision-making power are reinforced.
At least 50% of the community development and sanitation staff members on project teams are women. At least 1 of 3-person NGO team is a woman. At least 1 woman on awareness/behavioral change team Include a gender/capacity development officer in the PCU and each PPT Train commune council members on gender issues in RWSS. Involve Women and Children's Committees in RWSS activities and awareness programs.

44% women participation on WSUG Board

4 5 6

71% of female officers in community development 30% of NGO workers are women A gender/capacity development officer is in the PCU and each PPT.

Gender strategy of project explained at commune meetings CCWC s are included in project teams

SECOND RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0156-CAM)

Mix-Gender Participations in WSUG Actions

Mix-gender participations in the Mass Meetings for public awareness promotion Women and men participate in the Village level poster campaigns and sanitation promotion talks WSUG Trainings on facilitation skills for sanitation promotion Village level trainings for WSUGs on Safe Water Use and Hygiene knowledge improvement Women village focal persons (about 46%) for peer-to-peer education in their villages

SECOND RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SECTOR PROJECT (ADB GRANT 0156-CAM)

Challenges of Women Empowerment in RWSS Management

Illiterate women not be able to participate in development and reap benefits in the same way as others Cambodian society remains strong traditional norms that assign higher status to men Traditional ideas men are responsible for heavy work and women are for child care and household management Lack sufficient time for womens active participation in development works due to heavy duty of household works Married women are reluctant to take responsibilities for the Organization Management together with men Women are hesitate to express their ideas against with 11 decisions and ideas of men

Water and Sanitation are Valued for Life

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION