Message 4: Manirul on Juana

Comments on the responses

I got interested in Juana’s comments but I like to point out some important aspects that I felt while reading it through.

Why must we have gender mainstreaming in water management?

This section provides a lot of information from theoretical perspective and attempts were made to link water management and gender with neo-liberal, global and structural adjustment concept. I do like to be more clear about some descriptions as I have some doubts that the following statements addresses the real situation from the perspective of water management.

From a neo-liberal approach it is increasingly emphasized that women are needed to keep irrigation systems and local economies afloat

It is not clear that neo-liberal approach really emphasized women participation in irrigation system rather I think neo-liberal approach may brings women benefits through multi approach and multi development activities and structural adjustment as well.

The feminist approach explain the causes of invisibility of women in agriculture and their subordination as a result of patriarchal and male dominated societies, which determines women’s lack of access to land and water property rights and independent entitlements

- Rather I think it could be: the feminist approach explains the causes of invisibility of women in development sector ( not only in agriculture) and their subordination ……..entitlement.

The gender perspective emphasizes that women’s disadvantaged position in water management must not be treated in isolation, since both, women and men are involved in different ways and in differentiated roles in the water management

-I think that the gender perspective is very wide term and it should not only refer to water management as a specific term.

Para 5: How water is managed is the result of the confrontation and negotiation of the interests, power relations, knowledge, and values between women and men, among women of different ethnic and social status

How water is managed is a specific term could be referred to specific development activities but ‘power relations’, ‘knowledge’ and ‘values’ are social terms need to be contextualized with each development activity. This needs references.

Drawing women into markets and meetings is how the neo-liberal approach can be summarized, something that. ‘Inclusion’ of women in formal decision-making bodies and in markets is seen to be simultaneously good for women (or gender equity) as for the performance of irrigation systems and can be achieved by removing educational and legal barriers.

- I am unclear on the use of the term ‘market’ here. I am also unsure about this part of the sentence: as for the performance of irrigation system and can be achieved by removing educational and legal barriers (are there any references you could provide to clarify this statement?)

I think this would help other to think over the concerning issues.

Kind Regards,

Manirul Islam