Sustainable development and gender equality are deeply interconnected, yet equal access to natural resources remains insufficiently addressed. The management of water and the broader water-food-energy-ecosystems nexus continues to be a male-dominated domain, perpetuating gender disparities in decision-making and resource allocation.
GWP-Med actively promotes gender mainstreaming as a core strategy, ensuring that policies, programs, and projects consider the needs, perspectives, and capacities of both women and men. By integrating gender at every stage of water governance, the organization works to redistribute power, create inclusive platforms, and enable equitable participation for women in shaping sustainable solutions across the Mediterranean region.
Moving beyond gender mainstreaming, GWP-Med advocates for a transformative approach that challenges and ultimately eradicates entrenched gender stereotypes and biases. Achieving true gender equality requires a paradigm shift, a transformation of societal norms, and a cultural change that embraces women’s leadership and decision-making in natural resource management. By championing women’s participation, leadership, and influence in water management, our efforts focus on boosting gender-transformative approaches that go beyond token inclusion, aiming for systemic change in policies, practices, and mindsets.
Importantly, GWP-Med actively aims to advance women’s role in water diplomacy and transboundary water cooperation. Inclusive negotiation and governance processes lead to more durable agreements and stronger regional collaboration. By supporting women’s meaningful participation in cross-border water dialogues and basin-level cooperation, we contribute to more equitable and resilient outcomes.
Through our initiatives, we envision a Mediterranean where sustainable development is genuinely inclusive, equitable, and shaped by the diverse voices driving its future.
- The AIP WACDEP-G (2023-2025) project aimed to transform gender inequalities at scale by promoting gender-transformative planning, decision-making and institutional development for climate resilient water investments in Africa. It was implemented by Africa Governments, Africa Union Development Agency-NEPAD and the Africa Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), Regional Economic Communities, River Basin Organisations, Regional Water Partnerships, Country Water Partnerships, women organisations, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), UN WOMEN, Global Water Partnership and others. In the period 2020-2022 GWP-Mediterranean implemented the programme at regional level in North Africa and at country level in Tunisia under the leadership of the national focal point, the General Directorate of Water Resources in the Tunisian Ministry of Agriculture, Hydraulic Resources and Fisheries. In the second cycle of work (2023-2025) the work continued regionally in North Africa, while the country focus included Morocco and targeted continuation of work in Tunisia.
- Empowering Women Water Leadership in the MENA region: An initiative by GWP-Med and the Geneva Water Hub that aims at supporting female water experts from the MENA region in their personal development and their professional careers.Â