Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion

The Australian Water Partnership (AWP) recognises that the integration of Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) in its activities will lead to more equitable and sustainable outcomes. In recognition of the importance we have developed an AWP GEDSI Policy (formerly known as the AWP GESI Policy initiated in December 2017). In line with the policy, AWP strives to support partners in their capacity to consider and include GEDSI in their work. This support includes training courses and annual workshops, and a Guidance for Partners document that explains how to address GEDSI in AWP concepts, proposals and tenders. GEDSI is one of ten criteria against which these are assessed, and it is also an essential criterion.

View the resources on this page or check our public GEDSI offering page for related knowledge products, activities, news and events.

Webinar: Strengthening understanding of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion

24 May 2019

  Webinar slides (PDF 1.9mb)

This webinar was hosted for AWP Partners to support the release of the Guidance for Partners document. Prof Nick Schofield explained the strategic commitments made by AWP to address GESI; one of AWP’s Expert Review Panel GESI specialists/reviewers, Melita Grant, shared insights on this process; and AWP’s GESI Specialist and lead author of the GESI Policy and Guidance for Partners, Julie Webb, discussed practical steps on how to ensure AWP Partner work is GESI sensitive.

Special Message: GEDSI Training Welcome

23 September 2020

Assistance to people with disabilities in developing countries has been a centrepiece of Australia’s aid program for ten years and Australia is recognised as a world leader in this area. AWP Advisory Committee Chair Bob McMullan highlights why GEDSI is an important consideration in AWP work and encourages partners to apply the same level of commitment, enthusiasm, and application of resources to assist people with disabilities that they have to gender equity over recent years.

Training: AWP Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion Training – Part 1

23 September 2020

  Workshop Part 1 slides (PDF 3.3mb)
  Workshop summary – Part 1 & 2 (PDF 1.6mb)

This virtual workshop aims to build AWP partner capability in developing proposals that address GEDSI and to improve the GEDSI outcomes of AWP activities through use of case studies, resources and tools. The training has a specific focus on disability-inclusive development in international aid and development work. Key concepts related to GEDSI and the links between GEDSI and water management projects internationally are also explored.

Training: AWP Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion Training – Part 2

30 September 2020

  Workshop Part 2 slides (PDF 1.7mb)
  Workshop summary – Part 1 & 2 (PDF 1.6mb)

This virtual workshop aims to build AWP partner capability in developing proposals that address GEDSI and to improve the GEDSI outcomes of AWP activities through use of case studies, resources and tools. The training has a specific focus on disability-inclusive development in international aid and development work. Key concepts related to GEDSI and the links between GEDSI and water management projects internationally are also explored.

Related Documents

AWP Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion Policy 2020-2023 (cover)

Contact

Veitania Lepani
AWP GEDSI & Program Officer
veitania.lepani@waterpartnership.org.au

Melita Grant
AWP Expert Review Panel GESI Advisor
Melita.Grant@uts.edu.au

Jen Blyth
Advisor, CBM Global Inclusion Advisory Group
jblyth@cbm.org.au

Suzette Mitchell
AWP Expert Review Panel GESI Advisor

GEDSI Resources

Q&A (from ‘Webinar: Strengthening understanding of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion’ 00:35:50)

How is AWP planning to strengthen GESI work?

  • We are planning to develop more detailed guidelines for Phase 2 and undertaking a review about how are we going so far, what are some of our success stories and also learn from our Partners in terms of how they experienced support.
  • We are planning to undertake a portfolio review of AWP’s activities through a GESI lens.
  • We are also planning to build a stronger online presence for our Gender work and planning to do some Partner training.

Is AWP working with DFAT programs such as Water for Women?

  • Yes, we work with the Water for Women program to identify mutual opportunities and projects where we can work together.
  • We also work broadly with the WASH Reference Group and are looking to develop a more substantial effort around bridging between water resources management and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

We have talked a lot about women and gender equity – are there any other reflections regarding other target groups, e.g. minority ethnic groups?

  • It is important to do gender analysis to understand what the other groups are out there. The core of gender analysis is to identify the diversity of marginalised and minority groups.
  • When we are talking about GESI, we are talking about life experiences that different people have and we are keen to encourage and engage with that diversity, so we are not talking about targeting women in isolation.
  • Understanding the power dynamics operating in the context is important. If there are minority ethnic groups in the area where you/your organisation is operating, then it should come out in your GESI analysis.
  • Think about how you can be more inclusive, so if it is around capacity development training for example, then assess how the training is set up and ask: is the setting or time not accessible to certain people, and who are those people?

How can we find the right people (the right expertise) to represent gender in the project?

  • It would take some time to talk/call/investigate/do some research to find experts if you are operating in a new context.
  • AWP’s Julie Webb, Melita Grant and Suzette Mitchell have a lot of contacts in the countries where AWP have engaged and they are ready to help find the right people.

Does AWP have a network of GESI experts?

  • Yes, we do GESI experts beyond Melita and Suzette that AWP is working with, and we are hoping to build a more active and diverse network in the future.
  • There are GESI experts within other partner organisations and it’s a great way to share expertise and resources in a more collaborative way.
  • We encourage Partners to reach out to GESI experts in their own organisations but also to reach out to AWP.

Do you have tips on analysis of impacts on, and involvement of, the vulnerable and disadvantaged people implied in the term GESI?

  • There are people and organisations that are tapped into and supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged people. For example, in the WASH sector which has decades of experience in this space, there’s a lot of work to support disabled people’s organisations, and the analysis informed by groups that represent people minorities is one of the best ways to start that conversation. Ask the question from the outset with people you know within your organisation or within the Australian sector such as the NGO and academic network – there’s a lot of knowledge and resources that can be drawn on.

Does AWP have any examples where focus on GESI has made a difference?

  • Our Young Water Professional Programs – one in Myanmar and the other across the Pacific. In the Myanmar Program, more than 50 per cent of professionals in the program are women. The Myanmar Government (NWRC) has highlighted that as their flagship program, so it has influence beyond just the GESI aspects, it impacts across multiple ministries.
  • Another example is the Pacific Water and Wastewater Association utilities. Young professionals from 20 countries across the Pacific are brought together every year and again gender balance is about 50/50. The highlight is that the young generations are brought up with understanding the concept of GESI.
  • The other good example is our work with the Australian Water Association’s Channeling Change Program.
  • Also the Water Utility Improvement Program – we’ve completed our first program in Vietnam where five water utilities in Vietnam were matched with five water utilities in Australia and we saw improvement in gender balance in the second stage of the project.

It is very difficult to get gender non conforming people on board, like in India, people fear to come out in the open. How can we include them?

  • Gender is not about men and women but about the full spectrum of identity.
  • There are people in our society who are in the sexual gender minority and those people are broadly overlooked and marginalised by society, for example, we are doing some work in this space in Indonesia and the way to do so is be careful and be informed by experts both in Australia and Indonesia.
  • The risks of exposing people are high therefore it needs to be well managed and well informed. There is an organisation in Australia called Edge Effect and they are experts in this space. If you want to have a further conversation about engaging people from sexual gender minorities then feel free to give them a call.

Can you give examples of how certain initiatives can reinforce discrimination?

  • If you are organising an event and plan it at a time that’s not easy for different groups or individuals to attend, then your event plan reinforces the exclusion of certain groups in a particular decision-making process. The “do-no-harm” principle should be applied here.
  • The question is to ask how to make sure we are consistent as possible in understanding people that we are working with and making sure we are not making their life harder or reinforcing the inequalities that shape their abilities to participate and influence activities.
  • The key is undertaking a gender analysis at the start (planning stage), and understand the context and using local voices and local sources which is very critical to the success of your activity.

Are there any future planned AWP Knowledge Products that have a focused on GESI?

  • We are working on a couple of new products. One of them presents the Australian water story through a community perspective (community voices) often neglected as seen in technical or political processes whereas communities were very proactive in creating outcomes, e.g. Murray-Darling Basin Plan.
  • Another example of a Knowledge Product is the inclusion of Cultural Water into water management and thinking alongside environmental water.
  • We are also implementing GESI thinking into an environmental flows management framework that is being developed for Myanmar so that it’s much more inclusive of impacts of flows not just for the environment, but also for people and communities; for women and children.

How can I, as a Partner, contact AWP for support on GESI?

  • You are welcome to contact the AWP team and GESI experts within AWP.
  • The key is to keep in touch with the AWP team as you are putting together your proposal to seek out materials and resources that are available so that you have the strongest submission possible and that you can implement activities and have the best outcomes in terms of GESI.

How can we build water-related infrastructure that meets the needs of women, men, sexual and gender minorities, poor people and people with disabilities?

  • Conduct a quality assessment of who will be impacted by a particular project/initiative, and how can they be involved in designing it? If it is irrigation infrastructure for example, this means finding female farmers as well as male farmers, seeking the advice of women in NGOs and academia who are experts in gender-sensitive irrigation infrastructure and seeking their advice and renumerating them for this advice.
  • Involve women and men in prototyping and piloting to see if there are any differences in the way that infrastructure is used, when it is used, and if it meets everyone’s needs or if there are unintended consequences. Does the infrastructure respond to safety issues/needs (often different for men and women), does it respond to other roles and responsibilities that women and men carry out, and the time of day that they use infrastructure? The following article illuminates some of these issues and differences and highlights some of the ideas that we need to keep in mind while designing, testing, and building infrastructure so that it is inclusive and doesn’t perpetuate inequalities: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2016/oct/13/why-arent-we-designing-cities-that-work-for-women-not-just-men