By Akpan Glory

An Irish charity organisation, Self Help Africa (SHA) Nigeria, has called for urgent action to increase women’s participation in leadership and decision-making roles within the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector.

Joy Aderele, Country Director of the organisation made this call in a statement to mark the International Women’s Month in Abuja on Friday.

According to her, in spite of being primarily responsible for household water collection, sanitation, and hygiene management, women remain underrepresented in leadership and technical roles.

Citing a 2021 UN Water report, Aderele noted that women account for less than 20 per cent of employees in the global water sector, with even lower representation in WASH-related engineering and management positions.

“In Nigeria, where women constitute nearly half of the population, only a small fraction are involved in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and leadership roles.

“This disparity is even more pronounced in WASH-related decision-making, where men largely dominate, despite women being the primary users and managers of WASH services at the household level”.

Aderele pointed to several barriers that limit women’s participation in the sector, including weak gender mainstreaming in national and state WASH policies, economic constraints, and deeply rooted cultural perceptions.

“There are gaps in the mainstreaming of gender in national and state WASH policies, with weak implementation and insufficient enforcement mechanisms.

“Economic constraints, wage gaps, and limited funding opportunities also make it difficult for women to pursue STEM education or the technical training required for leadership roles in WASH”.

The country director noted that beyond policy and financial limitations, societal norms continue to shape perceptions of leadership and technical expertise.

Aderele stated that WASH-related engineering and policymaking are still widely regarded as male-dominated fields, discouraging women from pursuing careers in the sector.

According to her, safety concerns and mobility restrictions further hinder women’s participation in field-based roles.

Aderele, however stressed that increasing gender diversity in WASH is not just a matter of fairness but an important factor in improving the effectiveness and sustainability of WASH programmes.

“Research shows that when women are involved in decision-making, development initiatives are more inclusive, better maintained, and more responsive to community needs,” she said.

She cited a World Bank report which found that water projects with women in leadership positions were six to seven times more effective than those without.

To close the gender gap in WASH, she called for deliberate and institutionalised action, saying the government must go beyond simply encouraging women’s inclusion in WASH to making it a formal requirement.

“Setting clear targets for women’s representation in decision-making and allocating dedicated funding to support female leadership in the sector are critical steps”.

She also advocated for increased investment in gender-responsive funding mechanisms, including scholarships and grants for women-led WASH initiatives.

She emphasised the need for safe workplaces, mentorship, and advocacy to challenge stereotypes and boost women’s leadership in WASH.

Aderele said SHA Nigeria is actively working to address these challenges through the £5 million WASH Systems for Health (WS4H) programme, funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

“We are actively strengthening women’s leadership in community WASH governance, ensuring their voices are heard in decision-making processes.

“We are strengthening partnerships with organisations like the Network of Female Professionals in WASH (FeminWASH) to amplify women’s voices in the sector.

“In Cross River State, gender inclusion is being prioritised in the review of the Water Supply Policy, and in both Cross River and Kano, we are institutionalising gender-inclusive WASH governance through State and Local Task Groups”.

She emphasised that achieving gender equality in WASH requires collective action from both men and women.

“This Women’s Month serves as a powerful reminder that we must take decisive steps to dismantle systemic barriers and biases. Only then can we create a more equitable world for all”. (NAN)

Edited by Tosin Kolade