Water, sanitation and hygiene : measuring gender equality and empowerment

Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the lack of access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. Based on a process of expert input and literature review, the authors compiled current water, sanitation and hygiene indicators that measure gender equality and empowerment in four interrelated priority areas: (1) women's water-fetching responsibility and time-use burden, and the implications for health and economic well-being; (2) sanitation access and its relationship with gender-based violence and psychosocial stress; (3) women's water, sanitation and hygiene needs during menstruation, pregnancy and caregiving, and effects on health, education and psychosocial stress; and (4) women's participation in water, sanitation and hygiene decision-making and governance, leading to their social and political empowerment. Within each priority area, the authors describe and critique the status of these measures and identify where further research is needed to better measure gendered aspects of water, sanitation and hygiene at programme, national and global levels.