LatIn aMErIca & carIbbEan rEgIon 76892 Environment & Water Resources OccasiOnal PaPER sERiEs Empowering Women in Irrigation Management The Sierra in Peru Environment and Water resources LcSEn occasional Paper Series The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region has a unique mix of qualities and challenges when it comes to the environment. It is exceptionally endowed with natural assets, with globally significant biodiversity and valuable crops, and also harbors the world’s greatest carbon sink in the Amazon. At the same time, however, the region registers the highest rates of urbanization in the developing world with pollution, overuse of its water and natural resources and detrimental impacts on the health of people, especially the poor, and the environment. Over the past twenty years, the LAC region has made impressive gains in tackling these issues. It leads the developing world in biodiversity conservation and natural resource management and is at the forefront in reducing urban pollution. The World Bank has often been the partner of choice for those countries in the region that have had the initiative to pioneer innovative policies for environmental protection and natural resource management, strengthen institutions responsible for environmental management, enhance environmental sustainability, and introduce new approaches to water Empowering Women in resources management. Such initiatives include fuel and air quality standards in Peru, carbon emission reduction in Mexico, Irrigation Management payment for ecosystem services in Costa Rica, participatory and integrated water resources management in Brazil, and The Sierra in Peru Erwin De Nys, Senior Water Resources Specialist, World Bank new approaches to irrigation management in Mexico. Carmen Hidrogo, Anthropologist, Consultant, World Bank In this context, it is our pleasure to introduce the Environment Marie-Laure Lajaunie, Senior Water Resources Specialist, World Bank & Water Resources Occasional Paper Series, a publication of Lara Chinarro, Irrigation Specialist, Consultant, World Bank the Environment and Water Resources Unit (LCSEN) of the Sustainable Development Department in the World Bank’s Latin America and the Caribbean Region. The purpose of the abstract series is to contribute to the global knowledge exchange on This report tells the story of a Gender Pilot that was carried out in innovation in environmental and water resources management water users’ organizations for irrigated agriculture in the Peruvian and the pursuit of greener and more inclusive growth. The highlands or Sierra region. It was designed upon the request of papers seek to bring to a broader public – decision makers, Peru’s Ministry of Agriculture, with the objective to strengthen the development practitioners, academics and other partners - role of women in water management and to improve their condi- lessons learned from World Bank-financed projects, technical tion as agricultural producers. At first, a gender diagnostic was assistance and other knowledge activities jointly undertaken carried out to better understand the different barriers that hinder with our partners. The series addresses issues relevant to the attendance and thus equality of participation of women in the region’s environmental sustainability agenda from water trainings and meetings. After this diagnostic, a discussion fol- resources management to environmental health, biodiversity lowed about the importance for a community of including women conservation, environmental policy, pollution management, in water management. In response to these diagnostics and sub- environmental institutions and governance, ecosystem sequent discussions, the water users resolved to set specific tar- services, environmental financing, irrigation and climate gets for becoming more inclusive organizations, and shaped the change and their linkages to development and growth. content and timing of their activities to allow a greater number of women to participate. The Pilot, carried out between 2007 and We hope that this paper, just as the entire series, will make a 2009, improved women’s technical skills, self-esteem and posi- contribution to knowledge sharing within the LAC Region and tion in the water users’ organizations, and has raised awareness globally. among the community members about women’s specific needs Karin Kemper and expectations related to water management for irrigated agri- Sector Manager, Environment & Water Resources culture. The participatory methodology used in this Pilot was de- Sustainable Development Department signed with the support of the World Bank Group Gender Action Latin America and the Caribbean Region Plan, and is currently being scaled up in the World Bank financed Sierra Irrigation Subsector Project (PSI Sierra). diagnostic, workshops, focus groups, and presentations) and the role of Women in Water Management demonstration techniques (for example study tours to other In Peru, over 75 percent of management positions, at all levels of regions in Peru, sharing experiences with WUOs in which women public and private enterprises, are held by men.1 In water users’ had achieved leadership and active participation in management). organizations (WUOs) for irrigated agriculture in the Peruvian The strategy promoted the following goals in WUOs: highlands or Sierra region, the situation is no different. A variety of cultural and structural limitations restrict women’s participation in • Establish clear, precise rules for incorporating women in water water management in ways similar to what has been observed in management; other irrigated areas around the world (World Bank 2012). • Strengthen the role of women, improving their ability to enhance The aim of this occasional paper of the Latin America and their self-esteem, degree of integration, and position, and Caribbean Regional Environment and Water Resources Unit increasing their democratic participation in water management; (LCSEN) is to highlight, within the context of a Gender Pilot of the • Train women in production issues; Peru Sierra Irrigation Project, how women’s different needs were identified to facilitate their access to training and to increase their • Highlight and value women’s contribution to their household’s participation in the management of WUOs. economy. Women’s empowerment can have a great impact on productivity The Gender Pilot used a participatory methodology for inclusion of and the economy of a country. As stated in the 2012 World women that started with a gender diagnostic, making it possible Development Report, gender equity is not only necessary, it is also to design, validate, and execute training and awareness activities smart economics (World Bank 2011). Participation of all members aimed to allow women and men to participate in equal capacities of a community in water management has several positive impacts: in water management (Figure 1). first, the inclusion of women provides a different perspective Figure 1. Participatory Methodology for Inclusion of Women on the needs of the community; second, once all stakeholders Bring women and men together to create interested in water are considered, there is less chance of water mutual trust. Facilitate knowledge about: What do they do? Who does it? How do conflicts occurring; and third, having more people with different they do it? views increases the number of ideas and approaches to help solve Gender diagnostic to identify interests, a problem. needs, limitations, and expectations by collecting and analyzing data During the 10 years of implementation of the World Bank-financed differentiated by gender Irrigation Subsector Project (Proyecto Subsectorial de Irrigación, Design and execute training and PSI) on the coastal strip of Peru,2 it became clear that social and awareness activities, first separated technical barriers for women existed. These barriers hindered by gender, then – the attendance and participation of women under conditions of Facilitate joint activities that equality in WUO meetings and training events. The government of allow women and men to participate under equitable Peru decided in 2007 to expand PSI to the Sierra region,3 also with conditions World Bank financing, with the objective of improving the technical level of irrigation systems and infrastructure, thus increasing the profitability of the agricultural sector. A major objective of the gender Diagnostic The Gender Pilot conducted in the Chonta and Colca WUOs started project was to strengthen WUOs, this time incorporating a gender with a gender diagnostic that aimed to identify roles, interests, dimension.4 needs, limitations, and expectations by collecting and analyzing data differentiated by gender. The key conclusions were similar in PSI Sierra and its gender Pilot the two WUOs: Prior to the start of PSI Sierra, a Gender Pilot was carried out from • There was a marked division by gender, according to traditional September 2007 to June 2009, involving the WUOs of Chonta social roles in the Sierra. and Colca, located in the regions of Cajamarca (northern Sierra) and Arequipa (southern Sierra), respectively. The objective of the • There was a differentiated appreciation of the roles of women Gender Pilot was to contribute toward improving the position of and men. Household chores (the duties of “the wife and mother�) women as members of WUOs and strengthening their status as and contributions to agricultural production were generally agricultural producers. The methodology to strengthen women’s considered supporting roles and undervalued compared to positions included participatory tools (for example gender men’s because they did not generate income (except for cattle 1. CEPALSTAT: Data Bases and Statistical Publications, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. Statistics and indicators: gender: women in power and decision-making. http://websie.eclac.cl/infest/ajax/cepalstat.asp?idioma=i. 2. PSI is an entity under the Ministry of Agriculture that has the mandate to promote the modernization of irrigated agriculture in Peru. The World Bank-financed project that targeted irrigation schemes along the coastal area of Peru had an investment of $95 million and closed in 2009. 3. PSI Sierra ($48.33 million) was declared effective in 2010. 4. A video on the Gender Pilot, which preceded the PSI Sierra, can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zDB6ZVVw6w. raising). Furthermore, work by men that required physical Table 1. Gender Diagnostic Baseline Values (2009) and Targets (2011) set by WUOs strength (men working as unskilled laborers) was appreciated Baseline values Targets to reach by 2011 more than work by women that involved some skills (for example Composition of WUOs: 7 of every 8 The WUOs have at least one woman in a milking) and thus there was little recognition given to women’s members are men; women rarely hold a relevant management position (President or management position Treasurer) participation in the productive process. 30 percent of women attend meetings and 20 percent of women attend meetings present their opinions • The representation of men versus women in WUOs was linked to land ownership. The Organization for Economic Co-operation Fewer than 10 percent of women Over 60 percent of women participate in training; men support women’s skills participate in training and Development (OECD 2010) found that less than 25 percent development of the land in Peru was female-owned. The proportion was Only 20 percent of women leaders 40 percent of women leaders perform their perform their duties in WUOs duties and assume decision-making positions increasing, but remained limited due to several constraints, such as higher rate of illiteracy among women, or the fact that The WUOs’ policies do not include The 2011 annual plan specifies means of specific conditions for improving women’s increasing women’s participation women who were not married but in consensual unions had no participation right to own the land of the household. Female users are not specifically Men and women are specifically recognized, recognized in WUO activities thus avoiding exclusions • There was a lack of structured skills development programs Source: Gender diagnostic in Chonta WUO, 2009. which prevented purposeful participation by women in WUOs. men to raise awareness on the contribution and value of the • There were generally only a small number of women managers work of female users; and (d) study tours to share experiences and leaders, and few of them held relevant positions for with women from Peru’s coastal region who hold decision-making decision-making. Most held lower positions, and in some cases positions in WUOs. their involvement was limited to their names being listed on the management committee. Finally, dissemination efforts were carried out, such as the organization of a national “Gender and Water Management� • There were cultural limitations in the two WUOs. Women had event, in which women leaders presented the experiences gained insufficient information on WUOs and especially on the rules during the development of the Gender Pilot, disseminated their governing water management. Thus, their opinions were not results to over 200 female water users in Peru, and prepared and valued in decision-making forums and they were believed to distributed the brochure Los roles de varones y mujeres en las have nothing interesting to contribute. Often, the men in their actividades productivas y en su organización del riego (“The roles families attended meetings on their behalf. of men and women in productive activities and in their irrigation • There were also structural limitations to women’s participation. organizations�) to acknowledge and value the work of women. They were less prepared to hold management positions and Male leaders and users participated in workshops to raise they felt inhibited to participate. Moreover, WUO meetings were awareness of the importance of the gender focus in WUOs, and in scheduled according to men’s time preferences, thus reflecting workshops on water polices with gender equity, in order to define the WUOs’ limited support for women’s participation. procedures that facilitated the inclusion of a gender focus. Finally, • The diagnostic also showed that in some WUOs, male leaders brochures with information on WUOs and water regulations were were willing to support a training program that provided equal distributed to reinforce conceptual aspects. Table 2 shows the opportunities. number of participants in the Gender Pilot activities at the various locations. Presenting and discussing the gender diagnostic with the WUO members led to their increased awareness about the It was observed that women restrict themselves (due to shame underrepresentation of women in the WUOs and their lack of or fear) from expressing their ideas when men, especially their participation in WUO meetings, trainings, and workshops. WUOs husbands, are present. It was therefore decided to form separate also realized they had no training plans to address the specific women’s users’ committees to help them become leaders and needs of female water users. In response to this, WUOs resolved producers, thus strengthening their self-esteem for participation to set specific targets to improve this situation in the short term later on in groups comprising both genders. This initiative was well (table 1). received. Table 2. Participants in Gender Pilot Activities gender Focus in the Participation of Water Users WUOs Men Women Total Water users’ commissions During the development of the Gender Pilot, various activities were conducted to improve the position of women, including (a) technical La Colpa, Tres Molinos, Chonta (northern Sierra) 728 786 1514 Carhuanga, Tartar Grande training on irrigation management, roles and responsibilities of (Chonta and Mashcón) WUOs, and water regulations; (b) specific “self-esteem� workshops for women to improve their leadership and communication skills, Colca (southern Sierra) 229 243 472 Yanque, Achola, Pinchillo, Coporaque to counteract the common perception of men as being better leaders; (c) workshops with the joint participation of women and Source: Reports of Gender Pilot consultants, 2010. conclusion references In different regions of the Peruvian Sierra, the Gender Pilot has OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). made it possible to design, implement, and validate a participatory 2010. Atlas of Gender and Development: How Social Norms methodology that promotes the inclusion of women and young Affect Gender Equality in Non-OECD Countries. people in decision-making forums on the use and management World Bank. 2011. World Development Report 2012: Gender of water resources. Equality and Development. Washington, DC: World Bank. Female irrigation users valued positively their participation World Bank. 2012. Enhancing the Role of Women in Water User in the Gender Pilot. The development of women’s skills in Associations in Azerbaijan. Washington, DC: World Bank. water resource management and in agricultural and livestock production (considering individual needs) has had positive World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United impacts on women’s income. Likewise, better technical training Nations (FAO), and International Fund for Agricultural Development has made it possible for women to be nominated and elected for (IFAD). 2008. Gender in Agriculture Sourcebook. World Bank/ management positions in WUOs. Their improved technical skills, IFAD/FAO. self-esteem, and position in WUOs have raised awareness of their For more information on the project, please contact: specific needs and expectations for water management in the Marie-Laure Lajaunie mlajaunie@worldbank.org and Erwin De communities involved in the project. Nys edenys@worldbank.org. Although the total number of positions held by women in the WUOs has not increased significantly throughout the limited duration of the Gender Pilot, women’s voice and representation in WUOs has been strengthened. At present, women hold positions of greater importance for decision making (vice presidents, Publications from the treasurers, deputy treasurers, secretaries, committee members, and delegates). The position of women in WUOs, as a result of LcSEn occasional Paper Series greater training through the Gender Pilot, has evolved and their Environment & Water resources recognition is increasing among WUO members. At meetings and n Empowering Women in Irrigation Management: The Sierra in assemblies, it is reported that they participate more actively and Peru (2013) play a greater role in management committees, and their ideas are considered in decision making. During the implementation of n Environmental Health in Nicaragua: Addressing Key the Gender Pilot, rationalization in the use of water was observed, Environmental Challenges (Originally Published in 2010, reportedly aided by the greater management capacity of female Republished in 2013) (Available in Spanish and English) users and their ability to avoid or resolve water conflicts. n Expanding Financing for Biodiversity Conservation: These observations made at the pilot level of only two WUOs Experiences from Latin America and the Caribbean (Available will have to be further monitored and analyzed during the in English (2012) and Spanish (2013)) implementation of PSI Sierra in the 12 WUOs that the project is targeting in the Peruvian highlands. In order to provide further n Overcoming Institutional and Governance Challenges in Environmental Management. Case Studies from Latin guidance on critical gender gaps, and to contribute to an evidence- America and the Caribbean Region (2013) based gender policy for Peru’s irrigated agriculture sector, it will be especially important to capture information that is gender n Policy and Investment Priorities to Reduce Environmental disaggregated, including both baseline and project monitoring Degradation of the Lake Nicaragua Watershed (Cocibolca) and evaluation data. 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