Bearing The Cost: An Examination Of The Gendered Impacts Of Water Policy Reform In Malawi

Abstract

Water insecurity is one of the most pressing issues currently faced by Malawi. The consequences of these issues are borne significantly by women, who are most directly involved with water provision and use, particularly at the household level. Since the mid-1990s, Malawi has undertaken a process of water policy reform. Reflective of international trends, these reforms include decentralization, privatization and user-pays. Under the reformed policy, women are hidden within generic terms such as ‘community’. Although the Malawian constitution makes gender discrimination illegal, such gender blindness has a similar effect to discriminatory law. The statistics indicate that women in Malawi are least likely to be able to afford user charges and there are a multitude of negative impacts upon women, ranging from health and education to empowerment. Whilst some men are beginning to experience the benefits of the reforms in Malawi, many women are losing what little control they once held.