Water Security Across the Gender Divide
Christiane Öhlich, Giovanna Gioli, Roger Cremades, and Henri Myrttinen
Water Security Across the Gender Divide addresses the connection between two societal challenges that require, but lack, urgent and immediate attention: gender inequality and water insecurity. The books' editors were motivated by the puzzling lack of knowledge behind the multiple causes and consequences of water scarcity as well as the profoundly gendered perspectives that inform possible solutions. The authors stress that water scarcity often occurs due to formal or informal intra-state conflict and almost always along gendered lines thereby highlighting the deeply problematic reality that conflict over safe and regular access to clean water affects all gender identities yet is particularly harmful to gender-nonconforming communities. Using regional and thematic case studies, the authors explore how cultural traditions, inter-group tensions, and family power dynamics influence water scarcity and conflict and, hoping to redirect aid initiatives towards a preventative, rather than reactive, solution, bring attention to a widely ignored problem in development studies. Access the full book here.