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Local organisation and gender in water management: a case study from the Kenya Highlands
Author(s) -
Were Elizabeth,
Roy Jessica,
Swallow Brent
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of international development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.533
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1099-1328
pISSN - 0954-1748
DOI - 10.1002/jid.1428
Subject(s) - collective action , local community , community management , water supply , investment (military) , business , action (physics) , economic growth , socioeconomics , political science , sociology , economics , law , management , physics , quantum mechanics , environmental engineering , politics , engineering
Provision of safe water supplies is a priority for the global community and for villages in Kenya. An extended case study from the highlands of Western Kenya shows that local communities can be successful in self‐organisation for improved water supply, but only by mobilising considerable amounts of investment resources and local collective action. Gender relations are crucial to success, with women having primary responsibility for water management, but more or less hidden roles in community groups. There are legitimate concerns that Kenya's new water laws and institutions may make it more difficult for local community groups to self‐organise, with additional biases against women. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.