As the world celebrates Women’s Month, Country Director of Self Help Africa (SHA) Nigeria, Joy Aderele, has reiterated the urgent need for increased female representation in leadership and decision-making roles within the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector.
Despite being at the forefront of household water collection, sanitation, and hygiene management, women remain largely absent from leadership and technical roles.
Aderele cited a 2021 UN Water report, which found that women account for less than 20 per cent of employees in the global water sector, with even lower representation in WASH-related engineering and management positions.
“In Nigeria, where women make up nearly half of the population, only a small percentage hold STEM or leadership roles. This disparity is even starker in WASH decision-making, where men dominate, despite women being the primary users and managers of these services at home,” she said.
Aderele identified multiple factors contributing to this imbalance, including policy gaps, economic constraints, and cultural biases.
“Gender is often overlooked in national and state WASH policies, with weak implementation and enforcement. Financial barriers, wage gaps, and limited access to funding make it difficult for women to pursue STEM education or technical training required for leadership roles,” she explained.
She also pointed to deep-seated cultural perceptions that reinforce WASH-related engineering and policymaking as male-dominated fields. Practical challenges, such as safety concerns and mobility restrictions, further discourage women from field-based roles in the sector.
Aderele stressed that closing the gender gap in WASH is not just a matter of equity, it is essential for improving the effectiveness and sustainability of WASH initiatives.
“Research shows that when women are included in decision-making, development projects are more inclusive, well-maintained, and responsive to community needs. A World Bank study found that water projects with women in leadership are six to seven times more effective than those without,” she noted.
Aderele highlighted SHA Nigeria’s efforts under the £5 million WASH Systems for Health (WS4H) programme, funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
She concluded by emphasising the need for collective action from both men and women to break systemic barriers.
“This Women’s Month is a reminder that we must act decisively to achieve gender equality in WASH. Only by ensuring women’s voices are heard can we build a more inclusive and sustainable future for all,” she added.
