(GIST OF YOJANA) WASH FOR WOMEN, WASH FOR THE NATION

GIST OF YOJANA : WASH FOR WOMEN, WASH FOR THE NATION

SEPTEMBER-2025

WASH FOR WOMEN, WASH FOR THE NATION

Context:

India’s rural sanitation and water supply landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation. At the heart of this transformation is the growing leadership of rural women who are now not merely users of the services but are active custodians and change-makers. The growth and evolution we witness today have undergone significant changes over the years.

Gendered Dimensions of WASH:

Traditional Roles of Women

Women and girls bear invisible routines: fetching water, managing household sanitation, ensuring family hygiene.
These expectations limit their education, livelihood opportunities, and personal agency.

Unique Challenges for Women

Menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause create distinct WASH-related needs.
Lack of access impacts their health, dignity, safety, and quality of life.

Significance of WASH for Women

• Improvements directly influence women’s wellbeing, education, productivity, and empowerment.

Women’s Leadership in WASH

Transformation is rooted in Jan Bhagidari, turning beneficiaries into active stakeholders.
Women are still primary managers of household water and sanitation, especially in rural India.

Government Programmes Driving Change

• Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM-G)

• Phase 1 (2014-19): 10 crore toilets built to sanitation coverage rose from 39% to 100%.

• Phase 2 (2020 onwards): 1.75 crore toilets constructed (as of July 2025). 5.18 lakh villages – Solid Waste Management. 5.32 lakh villages – Liquid Waste Management.

Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM):

12.43 crore households have been given tap water since launch.
15.67 crore rural households covered (as of July 2025).
Focus on safe drinking water, women’s leadership, and sustainability.

Institutional Inclusion of Women

Earlier: Women were absent from WASH governance and decision-making.

SBM-G and JJM changed this by:

Recognising women as central to behaviour change and service delivery.
Including them in formal institutional frameworks.
Addressing practical gender needs and strategic gender interests.

Guidelines for Inclusion

50% of members in Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) must be women.
Women encouraged to lead in planning, implementing, and managing WASH systems.

Women as Change-Makers

Roles under SBM-G and JJM

Swachhagrahis: Mobilising communities, promoting sanitation practices.
Jal Sahiyas/Jal Sakhis: Water quality testing.
VWSC/SHG members: Managing infrastructure, awareness campaigns.
Examples: Dindori district, MP: Maa Narmada Jal Samiti managed entirely by tribal women, overseeing distribution, chlorination, and quality records.

Key Community Platforms

Self-Help Groups (SHGs)

Operate community sanitary complexes (cleanliness, fee collection, minor repairs).
Drive behaviour change and economic empowerment.
Create replicable models for scale with SBM-G and JJM convergence.
Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSCs)
Mandated: 50% women + SC/ST representation.
Over 3.2 lakh women in leadership roles (president, secretary, treasurer).
Women-led VWSCs linked with:
Higher contributions to user charges.
Better adherence to hygiene protocols.
Faster complaint resolution.
Swachhagrahis & Community Resource Persons

• SBM-G Phase 1: 5.5 lakh Swachhagrahis (many women).

• Phase 2: 3.6 lakh active Swachhagrahis.

• Women trained in CLTS, IPC, MHM.

• Example: In UP, MHM clubs led by young girls address taboo issues like menstruation and pit emptying.

Water Revolution Led by Women

JJM milestone: 15 crore+ tap connections.
Over 24.8 lakh women trained in water testing using FTKs.
Women trained in plumbing, system maintenance, distribution management.
Represents a deep shift in governance and gender roles, making women frontline managers of lifeline services.

Challenges and Way Forward

Persisting Challenges:

Grassroots roles (Swachhagrahis, Jal Sakhis) need better incentives.
Women’s participation needs to move from presence to power.

Strategic Actions:

Institutionalise Leadership: Make women-led VWSCs and SHG-run initiatives part of KPIs.
Capacity Building: Continuous training in planning, finance, grievance handling (via SBM/JJM Academies, e-learning).
Women-Owned Enterprises: Enable women to run FSTPs, greywater treatment, MHM units.
Data & Recognition: Track women’s roles, reward Gram Panchayats on Swachh Bharat Diwas & Women’s Day.
Leverage VHSNCs: Align with VWSCs for sanitation-health convergence.
Convergence with Other Ministries: Link with NRLM, WCD, and Panchayati Raj for scale.

Conclusion

WASH is no longer just about infrastructure; it is about empowerment, dignity, and equality. Women’s leadership has redefined community development, showing that when women lead, communities thrive. The mission ahead: build systems where every woman is a water warrior, sanitation entrepreneur, and hygiene champion. Such a model ensures inclusive, sustainable, and enduring national development.