Research project: Making the invisible visible- documenting successes, enablers and measures of engendering water and sanitation initiatives in the Pacific to inform policy and practice
Partners: University of Technology Sydney, World Vision Vanuatu and Live & Learn Environmental Education (LLEE), Fiji,
Pacific Region
The Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) and IWDA have received a research grant from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) to investigate gender outcomes in water and sanitation initiatives in the Pacific. The research will begin in April 2009 and finish in mid-2010.
ISF and IWDA are pleased to be undertaking the research in partnership with Live and Learn Environmental Education in Fiji and World Vision in Vanuatu. The study will focus on two Pacific case studies that incorporate gender strategies and support community decision making processes: World Vision’s Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST) initiatives in rural Vanuatu and Live and Learn’s learning circles and water governance projects in Fiji.
The research will use a strengths-based approach that is informed by principles of empowerment, appreciation and participation. The intention is for the research to build on existing strengths and be a learning process for all involved. For the participant organisations, this will lead to a stronger focus on gender, and increased capability to integrate gender into water and sanitation projects.
With reference to the Fiji and Vanuatu case studies, the research will investigate three areas:
- What kinds of gender outcomes are being achieved?
- What are the relative strengths of different approaches for integrating gender? What strategies, steps and activities work well to promote gender equality? What enabling contextual and cultural factors can help?
- How can we measure the effectiveness of the strategies being use in terms of gender outcomes?
Outcomes of the research aim to influence the policy and practice of Australian and Pacific regional actors focused on water and sanitation. Based on the findings, the research project will produce guidance material to support practitioners without gender expertise to improve their practice. In addition, the two case studies will identify implications with regard to strategic integration of gender into water and sanitation initiatives and implications for meaningful measurement of aid effectiveness in terms of gender outcomes in the Pacific and elsewhere.
Funding Source: AusAid Australian Development Research Awards
-last updated 28/04/09
