Barriers to mainstreaming gender in water resources management in Nigeria

Abstract

Despite being signatories to the 2030 United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development and Declarations of other conferences that promote women’s involvement in water resources management, there is thin evidence to suggest Nigeria has mainstreamed gender in water resources management at the river basin level. Applying a legal and regulatory lens, findings revealed that gender mainstreaming and women participation had not been decreed into the laws informing water resources management functions and programmes in Nigeria. This therefore constitutes an entry barrier. To mainstream and enhance women’s participation in the Nigeria water sector will require fundamental changes to the main water resources policy and legal instruments as well as to the River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) organizational arrangements. This will be in addition to the introduction of legally backed monetary incentives to encourage women’s active participation in practice.