Decentralised Governance, Gender & Affirmative Action in Rural Drinking Water Management
Published: 2008
Author(s) Name: Chhaya Datar
Locked
Subscribed
Available for All
Abstract
Based on principles of contribution
to the capital cost and full cost
recovery from users, Pani Samiti
(Village Water & Sanitation
Committee-VWSC) is meant to
address management inefficiencies
through participatory planning and
inclusive decision-making. Mandatory
50 percent seats are
reserved for women in the Pani
Samiti and among them Dalit
women too claim 15 percent
reservation, corresponding to Dalit
men in the rest of the samiti.
Women's and other marginalized
groups participation is seen as
integral part of this process. The
present paper assesses whether this
process empowers women and what
more is needed to make this
affirmative action become
meaningful for strengthening
women's agency as a rightful
citizen being able to manage the
affairs which concern them the
most.
Keywords : Pani samiti, Dalit women, strengthening women
View PDF