Page 20 - GESI Framework

Gender Equality and social inclusion framework

Male Champion Forum: Who has the power to make decisions?”

CIWA’s Male Champion Forum has the following goals:

“Who has the power to make decisions?” Increase awareness about the critical role that men
can play in championing gender equality in the
transboundary water context.
Everyone in attendance knew the answer
—men. Identify actions and initiatives that Male
Champions can take to advance gender equality in
transboundary water institutions.
“Women are seen as being in the rear seat,” said Donald Facilitate opportunities for Male Champions to take
Kasongi, a researcher and policy analyst from Tanzania individual and collective action to promote
opportunities for women to play a greater role in
who has worked for years to mainstream gender in decision making in transboundary water institutions.
transboundary water resources management, including for
eight years as the Secretary General of the CIWA- Improve representation of women in decision making.
supported Nile Basin Discourse.

Kasongi was participating in the Male Champions for
Women’s Empowerment workshop in June 2023, which Along with the issue of representation, Gudina says, is the
was organized by CIWA as part of its work to bring a need for more women to enter education programs in
transformative gender lens to water resources management. water resources management. He also says that there
The participants were chosen for their commitment to, and should be a stronger professional transboundary water
experience with, promoting gender equality. network for women to advance their careers.
CIWA has designed a pilot program to foster a cadre of The men shared their reasons for joining the Male
men to spur changes in social norms and values on gender Champions for Women’s Empowerment.
in transboundary water management and development, a
sector that is dominated by men and strongly influenced by Gebremichael candidly acknowledges that the promotion of
patriarchal norms and values. gender equality has some benefits for men.

CIWA believes that engaging men is key to transformative “I want to engage in the CIWA Male Champions for Women’s
change and that working directly with pioneering men can Empowerment to empower women in the work environment.
help overcome male resistance to women having equal They will help me share the work and projects.”
roles.
And, he says, gender equality strengthens communities.
“The issue is representation” of women in the water “The community always gives men all the responsibilities in
sector, says Assefa Gudina, ENTRO’s gender focal point. life,” he says. “If I am a male champion working for gender
justice, it makes the community a more powerful one. So,
Dereje Gebremichael agrees. “The water sector is male let’s empower men to work toward gender equality.”
dominated. It starts from the attitude of (male) leadership
in RBOs,” says Gebremichael, a senior grants acquisition Daniel Asrat, a monitoring and evaluation consultant in the
and planning officer for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Ethiopian Ministry of Water and Energy, says, “As a Male
Development and Inter-church Aid Commission who Champion, I represent my three daughters. I represent my
formerly worked for Ethiopia’s Ministry of Water and wife. I represent my sisters, and I represent my female
Energy. neighbors.”

In the context of patriarchal cultural and social norms, The participants in the workshop agreed on next steps,
women are stereotyped as being only water users rather including holding monthly meetings, developing a plan of
than also as people who should have autonomy to make action for the initiative, launching a social media platform,
decisions about water use and management. and working to expand the network.

CIWA Male Champions who participated to the pilot workshop in June 2023. ©CIWA

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