Gender Dynamics in Urban Water Management in Nepal: A Case Study of Dharan

This paper discusses the gendered roles and responsibilities in water resource management and its implications for urban water management. The results revealed that women are the primary water collectors and that the gendered nature of water collection varies among ethnic groups. Men are not involved in water collection in the Madhesi ethnic group, while they contribute to varying extent in other groups. Dry season is the most critical period for water supply in all four-study locations particularly among squatter communities. Less than 30% of the water demand is fulfilled in Squatter 1, while about 50% is fulfilled in urban areas. Conflicts related to water during collection is frequent in common water points mainly due to illegal and inequitable distribution of water. Results also demonstrated the influence of traditional reliance and informal context on women’s access to and performance in the formal decision-making spheres. Women exert influence primarily in household decision making related to water, while beyond households their participation is typically very low. However, formation of water users’ groups has motivated women to take on active membership and participate in water management at local and city levels