Mainstreaming gender in rural water supply

In the 1990s the Dublin-Rio principles have emphasized the need a) to manage water at the lowest appropriate level and b) involve women as managers in order to achieve sustainable water resource management. Throughout the International Water Supply and Sanitation Decade, many development agencies carrying out water supply and sanitation projects have initiated programs to involve women users more efficiently. In Sri Lanka, mainly in the rural sector these donor-initiated programs have had a long term, sustainable impact on enhancing efficiency in O&M through supporting gender participation and influenced formulation of national policy on community participation.