Linking Gender and Water

Definition and Mission

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. The members of the 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.

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 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:

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.
A book on gender and water edited by Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt. This book was published from Stree (www.streebook.com), Kolkata in 2006, and has been widely acclaimed.
Review comments on this books in Economic and Political Weekly February 3, 2007, Gender & Development Vol 15, No 1, March 2007 and Natural Resources Forum 30 (2006) 331–336.
Forthcoming in July, 2007 is a new book, Water First: Issues and Challenges for Nations and Communities (eds) Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt and Robert Wasson, (In Press) Sage Publications India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi.

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	Gender Water Network Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies (RSPAS)