Gender and social equity

Empowering women, youth and disadvantaged communities

Committed to promoting social equity and economic integration, the African Water Facility (AWF) supports projects with components designed to deliver special benefits to women, youth and disadvantaged or marginalised communities.

Promoting gender and social equity

Closing the gender economic gap and empowering women, youth and disadvantaged communities is essential to sustain economic growth.

Water infrastructure projects can be the catalyst for significant social change in the areas where they are implemented. The AWF works with project planners to ensure that gender equity and social equity are being addressed in the implementation and eventual outcome of each programme.

Typically this includes:

• Ensuring that the project design includes specific benefits like knowledge transfer or income development for women/girls/poor/young people/vulnerable communities and or the disabled, where possible and relevant 
• Making provision to allow women/girls/poor/young people/vulnerable communities and or the disabled to participate in project planning
• Ensuring that women/girls/poor/young people/vulnerable communities and or the disabled are involved in the implementation of projects where possible