1991 - 2000 recognition women’s central role in provision, management and safeguarding of water

Dublin Principles of 1992 recognize women’s central role in provision, management and safeguarding of water

Guidelines for gender issues in Water and Sanitation projects become available for use. Irrigation and water management projects start paying attention to women, though still often at the request of donors and rather as an add-on. Studies on the role of women in irrigation are being undertaken.

Dublin Principles of 1992 recognize women’s central role in provision, management and safeguarding of water

Further reading

1991: The Gender Issues Network (GenNet) of the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) established in 1991. It has been a network since 1996. The Gender Issues Network keeps in contact through the GEN NET newsletter. Several publications saw the light between 1991 and 1997.   See GARNET  

1992: International Conference on Water and the Environment, Dublin. The four guiding principles from this conference included one (#3) that recognized women’s central role in the provision, management and safeguarding of water.

The four Dublin principles:

1.Fresh water is a finite and vulnerable resource essential to sustain life, development and the environment

2.Water development and management should be based on a participatory approach, involving users, planners and policy-makers at all levels

3.Women play a central part in the provision, management and safeguarding of water

4.Water has an economic value in all its competing uses and should be recognized as an economic good.

1996:  “Gender Issues Source Book for Water and Sanitation Projects”, by Wendy Wakeman for World Bank

1998: Christine van Wijk-Sijbesma's book published: “Gender in water resources management, water supply and sanitation : roles and realities revisited”, Technical paper series / IRC; no. 33-E.