How Can Activism Empower #WaterWomen

GWP issued "Gender Balance Strategy" in 2016. Since then, Communications Officers of 13 regions, together with the Head of Communications in Stockholm, have organised various activities and campaigns that promoted the Strategy and helped women/young women to play a crucial role in water management at each level.

One of the GWP flagship communications products is the celebration campaign on March 8 #InternationalWomen’sDay at global and regional levels.

In 2018, it links the impact of rural and urban transformations to women’s lives. GWP has a question to all female professionals as “how can activism empower #WaterWomen for equality in water access and management?” GWP China interviews some young professionals and quotes their comments on this topic.

(In alphabetical order by LAST name)

FU Xiaotian
Associate of Water Sector, World Resources Institute

“No water for women, no water for future.”
 

 

MU Quan
Manager of Qiandaohu Water Fund, TNC China

"It's a shame that even women who live next to water sources do not have access to clean water. I am keen to participate in practical action to support positive changes."

 

LIU Jing
Senior Researcher, Beijing Qiaonyu Foundation

“Water is equal to men and women, as it is for everything on earth.”

 

WANG Yanwei
Division Deputy Director, Dept. of International Cooperation
China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research

“The benefit of water should be equally shared by every human being, man and woman, as it is the gift of nature that should be enjoyed by all of us."

 

SHAO Ziping
Division Deputy Director, Communications & Education Center
Ministry of Water Resources of China.

“Women have a natural advantage in communication and affinity. Women are given such a gift that can maximize the impact of water-related knowledge dissemination, education and activities while communicating with the youth in particular. Women should have a sense of ownership and obligation that benefits IWRM via innovations.”

 

GWP’s International Women's Day campaign focuses on a group of women who are living in vulnerable regions/countries where can neither access safe drinking water nor participate in water management.

GWP China Region has a broad scope of partners with academic or governmental backgrounds from China and other countries. For the campaign of International Women's Day, we invite different female representatives that differ from each year to raise the voice of women in water communities. More young female professionals as our interviewees --Yanwei, Xiaotian, Jing, Ziping and Quan who have multiple academic backgrounds are committed to water security and sustainable development of natural resources. They form a crucial part of regional network  that enables GWP China to convene numerous stakeholders to contribute to the progress of IWRM, SDGs, cross-regional collaboration, the Gender Balance  Strategy, etc.

 

*coverphoto Faye FU (宓妃) Goddness of River Luo