Gender Water Network - Bringing together students, researchers and professionals in gender & water issues

 

The Gender Water Network (GWN) links students, professionals and researchers with interest related to gender concerns in water resource management. This includes a gendered view of farming, irrigation, community-based water management, and intra-household allocation and interests in water.

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GWN was established by Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt in 2003 after the success of the Fluid Bonds Workshop held at ANU to celebrate the International Year of Freshwater. In this well-attended workshop, participants shared experiences, case studies and stories about the significant role of gender in water management in Australia and the Asia-Pacific Region. The workshop was accompanied by the launch of the Fluid Bonds booklet, which outlined in simple words many of the crucial issues linking gender and water.

The members of the GWN network have a primary focus in the developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region. However, we have increasingly come to appreciate the commonalities in the gender concerns in water resource management between Australia and the wider Asia-Pacific region. The Network, therefore, welcomes water professionals and academics from academics from Australia to share their expertise with others.

The GWN is growing as interest arises from students, researchers and professionals working in the field. It now acts as a major voice in 'engendering' the water management sector in the region, as a clearinghouse of information and a platform for sharing common experiences. Currently, the ANU members are from:

• Resource Management in the Asia Pacific program (RMAP)
• Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies (RSPAS)
• The ANU Institute for Environment

Other members are spread all over the Asia Pacific region. Anyone with interest in gender and/or water can join the GWN. Students in particular are encouraged to join the GWN and to share their experiences.

Recently published books on Gender and Water related issues:

Water First: Issues and Challenges for Nations and Communities in South Asia, edited by Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt and Robert J. Wasson. Publisher: Sage, Delhi.

This book brings together current knowledge and cutting edge interdisciplinary perspectives from renowned scholars on the histories, politics, ecologies and cultures of water in South Asia. It explores the complexities of the issues and challenges thrown up by contemporary water management practices in the South Asian region, attempts to ascertain whether or not the competing and/or complementary explanations provided for these issues are adequate or
not and offers examples of local action that has been taken. Read more about this book including an interview with Kuntala on the GWC blog.Or order your copy now.

Fluid Bonds (2006) on gender and water edited by Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt. Publisher: Stree, Kolkata.

Reviews of this book which has been widely acclaimed: Economic and Political Weekly February 3, 2007, Gender & Development Vol 15, No 1, March 2007, Natural Resources Forum 30 (2006) 331-336, International Feminist Journal of Politics (2007) 'book reviews', 9:4, 583 - 598.

Water First: Issues and Challenges for Nations and Communities 2008) by Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt and Robert Wasson (eds), Sage Publications India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi.

Read an interview with Kuntala on this important book.