INTEGRATED WATER-RESOURCES MANAGEMENT - A GENDER PERSPECTIVES

The concept of integrated water resources management (WRM) is currentl y high on the international policy making agenda and has gained moment um as an approach important from both economic and environmental viewp oints. This article looks critically at the broad approach to women ad opted in the WRM policy and then examines, using a gender perspective, two key areas of the policy agenda: pricing and environmental protect ion and conservation. Although the approach has potential for increase d responsiveness of WRM to the interests of women, it is argued that t o the extent that gender analysis is limited, these potentialities may be lost. Given the likely influence of the policy, it is crucial at t his stage to ensure that a gender analysis of the conceptual, methodol ogical and empirical dimensions of WRM informs the frameworks and prac tices currently being developed and authenticated under the 'new conse nsus'.