THE ROLE OF WOMEN ON SUSTAINABLE RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SERVICES IN EAST SHOA ZONE , OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The sustainability of rural water supply and sanitation services depends on many interrelated factors such as the policy environment, institutional management, financial and economic issues, spare- part supply and maintenance, monitoring systems, and environmental related issues. However, despite all of these factors, the true participation and ownership of users, especially the role of women are the most essential ones. The objective of this research is to assess the role of women on sustainable rural water supply and sanitation services and to identify the structural factors that exacerbate women’s and men’s unequal participation in the management of rural water supply and sanitation projects. To this end, the study was undertaken in four rural water supply and sanitation projects among rural communities of Adami Tulu Jido Kombolcha communities of Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia by applying both qualitative and quantitative methods. The findings of the study reveal that, women plays significant roles in sustaining rural water supply and sanitation services. Both women and men in the research area have equally participated in the various phases of the projects, from inception to implementation. Though the role of women in project implementation was remarkable; their role in management of the schemes was found to be very low. The participation of women both in decision-making and their numerical representation in water committees were lower than that of men due to impeding structural factors. The study also discloses that the power relation between female and male water supply and sanitation committee members is unbalanced. Though women play an important role in taking care of their water supply and sanitation services, their contributions are little appreciated by the member of their communities. The research result concludes that women representation in water supply and sanitation management committees is only for the sake of the fulfillment of the requirement set by support agencies.