Message 10: Margreet Zwarteveen

Dear all,

I am writing this from Yemen, where I am working wiht the Women's research and training Center on developing a course on gender and natural resources - including water - and almost feel as if I am asked to approach the question from the other end: why are natural resources important to women? Very briefly:

1. As to the need for mainstreaming, I agree with the answers already given, such as the one by Gina - it is necessary bot in terms of gender justice and equity, but also in terms of the sustainability and effectiveness of water use and management.

2. Three real issues that in my experience makes mainstreaming difficult are related to the 'masculinity' of water management. (1) rights to water and irrigated lands are often vested in men and men often have most voice and power in decision making - even though women shoulder many water responsibilities and costs. Mainstreaming would imply questioning and challenging this: it means challenging how resources and powers are distributed - and that ALWAYS meets with resistance of those who have or associate with the powers that be. (2) thinking and coneptualizing water and water management issues often is done from a 'resource' perspective - hence: the conservation of water, or the efficient management of water is central and the final objective. "The social' tends to only matter in function of this - and social power relations, including gender, tend to be either taken for granted or assumed away. Hence: the language and concepts used are not suitable for making women visible and thinking about gender relations.(3) Professional irrigation water cultures are often strongly masculine in that good professional performance is associated with masculinity - and reflected in the fact that most water professionals are men (in the NL, there are more women in the army than there are women working in water...but the NL is a backward country in many respects..). Paying attention to social questions and gender is not often professionally rewarded.

3. I think my answer to (2) also answers this question.

I am asked to leave this computer - maybe I'll write more later,

Kind regards,

Margreet Zwarteveen - Irrigation and Water Engineering Group - Wageningen University.