Message 34: Priscilla M Achakpa

Why is it important to mainstream a gender perspective in agricultural water management? (A maximum of 3 points preferably with supporting cases or examples)

Women are household managers, as such the bulk of the work of child up bringing, taking care of the home, cooking, fetching water etc falls on them. In Africa, 70% of the women are subsistent
farmers and are faced daily with the challenge of looking for water for their farms as well as performing their daily household chores.

What are the real issues that challenge the integration of gender concerns into water management and agriculture? (3 points with evidence-supporting cases and examples)

The biological role of women places a lot of responsibility on them such that men do not feel obliged performing or helping with these roles. In Africa, women are not supposed to be seen in public sphere nor holding leadership positions. They are to be at home taking care of children, cooking, cleaning and farming for the family.
This situation though is gradually being revised hence Africa has produced the first female president(Liberia); at least 90% of the African male folk still see women in that direction. The second challenge also has to do with the fact that as a woman, one is not expected to study science oriented courses, which also explains why there are a lot of women in nursing, teaching, secretarial professions and very few in engineering, aviation etc. The third challenge is that even where there are qualified women who can take up leadership position, they will normally have to work extra hard to get that position and are normally not given the free the hand to do their job, thereby making absolute impossible for them to function

Why is gender not mainstreamed in water management in agriculture? (3 points with evidence)

Gender is not mainstreamed in water management in agriculture because; most of the policy and decision makers are male dominated. Secondly, we have very few women in position of authority especially as it relates to water management and agriculture that can really change the situation. The third has to do with the fact that majority of the service providers (women) are in rural areas and do not have the capacity to engage the policy and decision makers on issues of water and agriculture.

Sincerely yours,
Priscilla M Achakpa
Executive Director
Women Environmental Programme
N0 12 Panama Street, off Ibrahim Babangida Way,
Ministers Hills, Maitama District, P.O.Box 10176 Garki

Abuja Nigeria