By Suzan Edeh, Bauchi
Stakeholders in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Sector of the state have reiterated their commitment in ensuring that women and marginalised groups have free access to WASH services.
They made the commitment at a review meeting on advancing “Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in WASH”, held under the DP-World-funded project on Thursday in Bauchi.
The Stakeholders which comprised of Civill Society Organisations (CSOs) and media stakeholders in the state, advocated that WASH Policies should prioritise the needs of women and girls, particularly those from marginalized communities to enhance equal access to safe, affordable and accessible WASH services.
A CSO representative, Mr Jinjiri Garba, noted that partnerships with gender-focused organisations were being prioritised to strengthen women’s capacity in managing water schemes and village-level operations.
He said that support from community leaders play a vital role in enabling women participate in WASH related employment and decision making.
“We will ensure that the social and biological roles of women are reflected in service delivery, such as through our user-friendly toilet model,” he said.
Mr David Ayodele, Chairman of the Media WASH Network, stressed on the importance of gender-based analysis, budgeting, and monitoring to improve women and girls’ representation in decision-making roles regarding WASH needs.
Earlier, Mr Magaji Gonsis, Programme Officer at Women Development Association for Self-Sustenance (WODASS) explained that the project implemented by WaterAid Nigeria with DP -World funding, focused on increasing equitable access to climate-resilient WASH services.
“It seeks to address unique challenges faced by women, especially regarding menstrual health management, education, and economic empowerment,” he said
He said that the project included constructing solar-powered water facilities and gender-sensitive sanitation infrastructure in Misau local government area.
“A gender assessment conducted by a consultant also explored how climate change impacts women’s access to WASH services and gathered their insights for sustainable solutions,” Gonsis said.