Understanding the role of groundwater in the lives of rural women in India

Abstract

AbstractGroundwater will be a critical future resource for rural India, given climate change and increased competition for water, especially for drinking water supplies, agriculture, and livelihood. The possibilities of groundwater resource development, use, and management have been widely discussed in the global and Indian contexts. However, most studies so far focused on scientific perspectives and not many on understanding the societal and gender aspects. Women are the providers of drinking water in rural India and also carry with them a quest for equality and respect. It is important to examine how the government policies, power, and responsibility for rural women in a traditional patriarchal society are impacted by the availability and access to groundwater. The main aim of this article is to examine the water challenges of Indian rural women in their routine life and discuss the impacts of depleting groundwater resources on their education, health and livelihood of their families. It also examines government policies, initiatives, and strategies that can potentially involve women in achieving sustainable water futures. The study indicates that poverty can impose gender roles in the family and society. Women's dilemmas differ not only in respect of monetary costs, but the challenges they face in terms of education, health, safety, and well‐being due to water scarcity. There is often a lack of suitable policies to overcome gender inequality. In some instances, policies might be reasonably good, but inequality continues because of weak policy implementation and other factors. Therefore, we need to devise policies and strategies that can be effectively implemented, raise awareness of gender equality, and create opportunities for women in decision making, program development, and implementation at all levels of government.