Empowerment through action: The story of Anna Lakshmi

This article shows how women are catalysts for advocating widespread improved sanitation and – at the same time – reap substantial benefits in a program promoted by an NGO called Gandhigram Trust. The empowerment of women and marginalized populations is a vital step in realizing gender equality – equal access, planning, and management – for water and sanitation.

It is integral that all women and all men of various socio-economic backgrounds have equal access to and participation in planning and management of water and sanitation systems. Many times, women and marginalized populations (low-caste, low-income, or other minority groups) are excluded from water and sanitation resources. Such exclusion impacts women and marginalized populations negatively. It also means that water and sanitation systems are built and managed in an unsustainable manner.

To learn more, these Frequently Asked Questions detail commonly-asked questions about gender, water, and sanitation. Involvement of women and marginalised populations in water and sanitation planning is crucial to spread awareness about the importance of clean water and improved sanitation.

We hope this documentation helps you recognize the importance of looking at gender in water and sanitation. Check out these links for more information on gender, water, and sanitation.