Women and water: How is gender policy working on the ground?

Abstract

by Robert Berold Photographs by Ella van Tonder Women are cooking, washing, watering gardens. They are the people using water, not the men. The gender policy of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF), formulated in 1997, was designed to promote gender equality both within DWAF itself and in its activities at community level. The policy required a quota of at least 30% (since increased to 50%) of women in all decision-making committees as well as adequate participation and technical training. How does the policy work out in the rural areas, far away from DWAF head office in Pretoria?

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