{"id":2012,"date":"2017-03-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-03-13T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gwpo-gwp.org\/south-asia\/news\/beboldforchange-international-womens-day-2017\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T15:48:59","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T14:48:59","slug":"beboldforchange-international-womens-day-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gwpo-gwp.org\/south-asia\/news\/beboldforchange-international-womens-day-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"#BeBoldForChange: International Women\u2019s Day 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In line with this year\u2019s theme Global Water Partnership South Asia (GWP SAS) asked the question \u201cHow can the water sector step it up for gender equality?\u201d<\/strong> from women in water community in South Asia. The openion of these eminent women are being reflected in here. <\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cThere is a necessity to recognise women\u2019s contribution in the water sector at all levels that includes policy, planning, budgeting, implementation and monitoring. It is needed to change the people\u2019s perception of women\u2019s involvement in water sector not only in the grass root level but also from national level to all decision-making forums of the government and non-government sectors in every country. It is also mandatory to spread over the international declarations and commitments at the local level throughout the country so that people will have equal level of understanding regarding women and importance of their participation in the water sector. Above all, men and women must have mutual respect to each other and their actions; and put hands together to make a stronger situation towards gender equality to fabricate a better world for boys and girls,\u201d said Begum Shamsun Nahar, Regional Council Member, Bangladesh Water Partnership and an Independent Consultant.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Mukta Akter, Executive Secretary, Bangladesh Water Partnership and Youth Focal Point GWP SAS<\/strong> indicated, “Women and Water Management has an integral relationship, where water cannot be properly managed without active and wide participation of women. Therefore, women should increasingly build a career in the water sector and productively contribute to transform it into a gender sensitive sector. At the same time, water sector can pursue the water governance to address the gaps and a commitment towards a gender friendly water resources management for sustainable economic growth”.<\/p>\n

\"\"Dr Veena Khanduri, Executive Secretary, India Water Partnership<\/strong> mentioned that \u201cThe water sector can be step-up for gender equality by first changing the mind-set of all (women, men and children) through capacity building and providing women the resources (knowledge and access) to enter the public domain for hearing their voice.  However, side by side, inclusion of gender equality in the legislation and country policies is one of the important element and women should be part of decision making process in the water sector\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"\"Dr Vijaya Shrestha, GWP Nepal<\/strong> said, “Act! Act! Act! And ensure implementation at all levels – Governments, donors, International and National Non-Governmental Organisations. Enough of policy and strategy dialogues\/ seminars\/ workshops. Meaningful action is the need of the day”.<\/p>\n

\"\"Prof Farkhanda Aurangzeb, Regional Council Member GWP SAS, Pakistan<\/strong> said, \u201cWomen and Men together are custodians of process of continuity of life -water is life too, therefore explicitly recognising the central role of men and women together in management, safeguarding, conserving and preservation of water reservoirs, they ought to play a pivotal role as custodians of future of water”.<\/p>\n

\"\"“Be creative in finding most accessible water source to free  up your productive time to step up towards gender equality” said Engineer Mangalika Lokuliyanage,  Additional Secretary, Ministry of City Planning and Water Supply, Sri Lanka.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Kusum Athukorala, Regional Council Member GWP SAS and Chairperson, Network of Women Water Professionals (NetWwater), Sri Lanka;<\/strong> “In order to raise action for gender equality in the water sector, beyond mere platitudes and cosmetic utterances, we need a dedicated International Year for Women and Water.”<\/p>\n

\"\"Engineer Badra Kamaladasa, former Director-General, Irrigation Department, Sri Lanka and former Chair, Sri Lanka Water Partnership <\/strong>said, “Water is a prime requirement of every individual in the society. Whether at household level or community level it is everybody’s business in conservation of this valuable resource”.<\/p>\n

Achieving water security means adopting inclusive and participatory approaches and GWP believes that water empowers women, and empowered women transform their societies. GWP\u2019s dedicated gender strategy aims to address diversity, inclusion, social equity, and women\u2019s role in the integrated and sustainable management of water resources.<\/p>\n

So make a difference, think globally and act locally! And make everyday an International Women’s Day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cPlanet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality\u201d is the global theme for International Women\u2019s Day 2017. It asks governments to make national commitments to address the challenges that are holding women and girls back from reaching their full potential.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[54,4],"tags":[77,33,26],"class_list":["post-2012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-archive","category-news","tag-english","tag-gender","tag-south-asia"],"acf":[],"spectra_custom_meta":{"_sidebar_content":["field_69d4d421acab1"],"sidebar_content":["

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IWD2017: How Can the Water Community Step It Up for Gender Equality?<\/h1>\n <\/div>\n
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