Women’s collective action and sustainable water management: Case of SEWA’s water campaign

This paper discusses the case of Self Employed Women’s Association’s (SEWA) water Campaign which started in 1995 in the semi-arid regions of Gujarat. SEWA initiated women’s groups through collective action have been active is sustaining local water management through water harvesting, watershed management, handpump repair, pipeline maintenance and reviving the traditional sources of water. Some of the significant factors that have sustained collective action of women are the presence of strong grassroots institution (pani samiti), establishment of a technical cadre of women (barefoot technicians), women’s group transcending social barriers and continuous dialoguing with the state. The impact of collective action is far reaching both for SEWA as well as the women. SEWA’s membership has increased manifold due to the success of the water Campaign. Women have benefited in terms of income, reduction of drudgery, improving livelihoods of their families, reduction in migration of both women and men, increased participation in SEWA’s other programs. The most important impact observed is strengthening of women’s collective and their confidence to independently negotiate in the public domain in water management sector which was earlier occupied by men. Women’s collective agency has triggered off some gender-equitable change processes, although, perceptible changes at the household level is not so significant in terms gender relations. Some policy implications have also been discussed in terms of involving women at all levels of water management progams – planning, designing, implementing as well as monitoring