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 PROPONENT
UTTHAN is a non-government organization operating in the state of Gujarat, India. Its work focuses on mobilizing the community, particularly women, towards development. Among its areas of concern are better management of water resources and improved access to water services. BACKGROUND
The water situation in many towns of Gujarat used to be dismal. Water resources have turned saline from the indiscriminate use of groundwater for cultivation of cash crops. Many wells have gone dry. Women had to walk miles to fetch drinking water. Conflicts have been known to erupt over a pitcher of water. Livelihoods were also affected as grasslands, which provided fodder for cattle, became barren from lack of groundwater. Utthan's work with the women involved community organization and mass awareness. The result was a powerful women's movement that was able to improve the lives of many towns and families in Gujarat. ATTAINING ACTIONS
In Bhal, the movement created pressure on the Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board (GWSSB) to support decentralized rainwater harvesting structures in the villages. Till then, GWSSB was supplying drinking water through pipelines through a centralized system that bred corruption and caused violent conflicts. In Bhavnagar district, the women overturned a village council's decision to use machines to dig pipelines for a water supply project. They advocated the use of manual labor to address the village's need for employment, and to foster a stronger sense of ownership for the project. The task was completed ahead of schedule. In the village of Neswad, a group of vigilant women has been guarding the overhead tank of the community water supply scheme to prevent pilferage of water by members of a headstrong section of the village who refused to contribute to the common fund for maintenance and repairs. RELATING THE WORK TO THE WATER AND POVERTY INITIATIVE
The Utthan experience directly links to several key action areas identified in the thematic framework for the Water and Poverty Initiative.
The availability of secure and safe drinking water at their doorstep freed the women of the burden of trekking miles and enabled them to devote time and energy on various income generating activities. The availability of water also resulted in a 40-50% increase in employment opportunities and farming activities. The rise in awareness among women about health and hygienic practices has resulted in a marked decline in the incidence of water-borne diseases in the village. The emphasis on addressing gender issues in all village level institutions has given the women the courage to advocate and fight for what they believe in. CONCLUSION
Making available secure and safe drinking water at their doorstep is one major step that has unleashed women's power, freeing them of drudgery and diseases, and enabling them to channel their time and efforts towards improving the living conditions of their family. CONTACT
Ms. Nafisa Barot   |
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