Making Africa’s Water Workplaces Welcoming for Women 

Posted in : Blog on 5 March 2025

Three women hydrogeologists working on the project ‘Revitalization of the Groundwater Monitoring network in the Shire River and Lake Chirwa Basins” supported by SADC-Groundwater Management Institute. ©Baseflow / SADC-GMI 

Globally, only 20 percent of workers recruited to water institutions are women. Only 22 percent of engineers and 24 percent of managers are women. 

The situation is especially dire in Sub-Saharan Africa, where deep-seated patriarchal norms lead women to be excluded from workplaces dedicated to enhancing water security for Africans. 

The absence of gender-friendly workplaces compounds the problem. Offering a few months of maternity leave and some flexibility in working hours isn’t enough. A truly inclusive environment would accommodate gender differences in all aspects of work, such as not scheduling meetings after regular working hours or using informal communications that often bypass women. It would also address unconscious biases that reinforce gender stereotypes and consider women’s unique needs, such as their caretaking role for children and elderly people. 

As the world prepares to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, with a call to collectively #AccelerateAction, the World Bank’s Cooperation in International Waters in Africa (CIWA) is more committed than ever to transforming transboundary water resources organizations into more equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplaces.  

The Benefits of Gender Equality and the Challenges to Achieve it 

In addition to ensuring the right to dignity, autonomy, and equality of women, gender-friendly workplaces outperform others. Women often bring unique strengths to leadership and decision making, including strong communication skills, empathy, inclusiveness, and productivity. Promoting gender-friendly policies helps recruit and retain a diverse workforce committed to advancing organizational objectives. 

Yet many workplaces in Africa still reflect traditional male values and norms. When men are at the helm, they often fail to plan for women’s physical, logistical, and personal realities, viewing them as inconvenient or contrary to local customs. Standard workplace practices often overlook gender differences, including women’s biological needs, such as the need for clean, safe spaces for breastfeeding and lactation. This is especially true in male-dominated technical and managerial positions.  

Implementing gender-friendly policies also can be challenging because of resistance to change or budget constraints. Policies promoting sexual harassment training and flexible work options require multiple interventions and staff buy-in. Major physical changes, such as adding childcare and lactation facilities, require money. Leadership support and demonstration of long-term benefits can help effect positive changes. 

The Commitment of the World Bank and CIWA to Gender Equality  

In 2019, the World Bank created Equal Aqua, a platform to spark more inclusive water institutions by offering tools, resources, and services.  

That year, Equal Aqua conducted a human resources survey to understand how institutional policies approach gender. The survey included Nile Basin transboundary institutions and programs supported by CIWA—the Eastern Nile Technical Regional Office (ENTRO), Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Program, and Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC). The findings were stark. All three programs offer paid maternity and paternity leave, and some progress has been made in adapting physical facilities, for example, providing lighting to enhance women’s safety in washrooms and toilets. But the survey found that workplaces were dominated by men, particularly among engineers and managers; offered few flexible work options; and lacked critical services including childcare and lactation facilities. 

To fuel equality, CIWA applies a gender-transformative approach to shift norms and elevate the diverse needs of vulnerable populations including women. A key strategy is its gender and social inclusion (GESI) training. 

During a two-day training for the three Nile programs in September 2024, CIWA’s GESI expert discussed the Equal Aqua survey with staff including, importantly, senior managers. Women participants said the survey empowered them to voice concerns about workplace shortcomings. The training also motivated male participants to commit to taking additional steps including developing gender strategies and reviewing institutional Gender Action Plans to identify areas for improvement.  

Other outcomes included: 

• A commitment by LVBC to promote a gender-responsive work environment with lactation/nursing rooms and flexible working arrangements for men and women returning from paternity and maternity leaves.  

• ENTRO’s agreement to allocate US$75,000 to train staff on creating a gender-friendly workplace. ENTRO also plans to launch the Gender Forum in the Eastern Nile Basin this spring in Nairobi to encourage water staff to empower women as decision makers and leaders.  

CIWA also recruits more women into the water field through its support of the Young Professionals internship program. For example, former Young Professional Amna Omer of Sudan became program coordinator of ENTRO and is now studying for her PhD in water resources engineering at the University of New Hampshire in the USA. She told CIWA  that she wants to “change the perception that women cannot hold leadership positions in the water sector.” 

CIWA’s Initiative to Recruit and Engage Male Champions for Women’s Empowerment  

CIWA’s Male Champions for Women’s Empowerment initiative, launched in 2023, is another key vehicle supporting gender transformation. Male Champions work with other men to counter cultural norms about men’s dominance, confront resistance to women’s empowerment, and foster more gender-equitable workplaces.  

Male Champion Assefa Gudina, ENTRO’s regional social and environment officer and gender focal point, believes ardently in gender equality. 

“Leaving half of society out and discouraging them and their participation is a crime,” he says. “The Male Champions initiative is a very powerful effort to empower women.”  

Watch more insights from the CIWA Male Champions for Women’s Empowerment Initiative:

Strengthening Knowledge on Gender Equality  

This month, the Male Champions will co-host a virtual learning event with Equal Aqua to enhance gender diversity as part of the World Bank Water Department Roundtable Series. It will highlight diverse approaches to promoting gender-friendly workplaces, equip participants with the knowledge and tools to support equality, and encourage the sector to be more welcoming to women. 

As Gudina says, “Women are our wives, our mothers, our daughters, our sisters. They should be treated equally.”