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Female applicants from the Arab region are strongly encouraged to apply.
Terms of Reference
Gender and Water Researcher
WaDImena is a multi-funded initiative to promote effective water governance by enhancing water-use efficiency, equity and sustainability in the countries of the MENA region, including Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen (www.idrc.ca/WaDImena). The overall goal of the project is to facilitate the adoption and implementation of water demand management strategies and tools to influence policy processes in the MENA region, with the following specific objectives:
§ To deepen the knowledge of the benefits, challenges, opportunities, and incentives of WDM from a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary perspective.
§ To improve capacities among individuals and institutions from the policy and research communities, and civil society, to propel the WDM agenda.
§ To provide an inclusive forum to foster dialogue, promote partnerships and enhance networking.
§ To strengthen and complement national, regional and global initiatives.
A number of programme components comprise WaDImena, including: applied research, field-based pilot activities and a regional exchange facility. Capacity development and knowledge networking are ongoing, iterative and constant.
In order to mitigate a serious water crisis in the MENA region, the traditional supply-driven method is being challenged. A paradigm shift is necessary to avert the looming water calamity in the countries of the region with the lowest available renewable water sources in the world.
IDRC and its partners are drawing attention away from the conventional augmentation approach, which fundamentally infringes upon non-renewable water resources, towards a model that considers future human needs and enhancing economic and environmental sustainability. WaDImena advocates methods that focus on improving water-use efficiency, equity and sustainability of existing water resources.
Water demand management may be defined as any measure that aims to: a) improve the efficiency of water use to achieve a specific task; b) adjust the nature of the task or the way it is accomplished to use less water or less quality water; and c) shift the timing of the water flow to achieve higher efficiency rates.
WDM also considers that behavioural change is necessary to regulate the amount, quality and timeliness of the means in which water is accessed, used and disposed. A framework is supported to improve productive efficiency, equity (allocative efficiency) and the promotion of wider user-participation in decision-making and a reduction in negative environmental impacts. Women are important water-users; therefore more effective, efficient and sustainable use of water resources is achieved when women are involved in WDM strategies, tools and approaches.
The Gaps in Capacity and Research
The role of women in water management, particularly in the implementation of water demand management practices and policies has been neglected in research and development projects. There is a knowledge gap in the Middle East and North Africa on how to effectively enhance women's roles in achieving water use efficiency, equity and sustainability.
The fundamental first step to addressing the role of gender and women in WDM is to support capacity development of the research and policy communities in the region to undertake gender analyses. There exists limited capacity to look beyond the technical aspects of water resources management toward a greater understanding of the social and gender issues. The tools that are required for this task may be similar amongst all regions of the world, but there are particular gender-related questions that are unique to MENA. Moreover, knowledge is not adequately disseminated and shared amongst those who can affect WDM policies and practices.
Consultancy Description
WaDImena is currently coordinating with the Centre for Arab Women Training and Research (www.cawtar.org.tn), the Gender and Water Alliance (www.genderandwateralliance.org) and Cap-Net (www.cap-net.org) to produce a comprehensive state-of-the-art review of the existing situation of gender and water issues in selected Arab countries, to identify practical recommendations within specific contexts for future activities. This collaborative effort will involve regional capacity development of national researchers to apply gender-appropriate research methodologies and gender analyses in water resources management.
WaDImena is seeking a qualified expert to provide a thorough analysis of how women interact with water to better implement water demand management for more effective water-use efficiency and equity practices and policies in the MENA region.
General tasks of the expert include:
§ Conduct a thorough literature review (including gray literature) on all issues related women's role in using, managing, disposing and polluting water at the household level and in agriculture.
§ Arrange meetings and undertake missions to Egypt and Yemen, and either Syria or Jordan, Morocco or Tunisia to meet with national government agencies, researchers and NGOs, and to carry out on-site field visits to rural and urban areas.
§ Provide evidence that illustrates the challenges and opportunities to women's pivotal role in water-use and management.
§ Elaborate a synthesis and analysis document based on the literature review and the country visits.
§ Maintain significant contact with the task manager to provide up-to-date information on research findings.
Qualifications:
- Advanced University degree in water resources management, social sciences, or other relevant field
- Five years of experience with a high profile research institution
- In-depth knowledge of issues in relation to women's empowerment and equity processes
- Experience in gender-related initiatives and research
- Excellent writing skills in English
- Additional fluency of either French or Arabic
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and work under pressure
- Ability to communicate with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
- Creative and flexible
Duties will be conducted over a 4-month period, starting in September 2005, for a total of 80 working days.
Applicants must submit a cover letter explaining interest in the position, a CV, and writing by email to wadimena@idrc.org.eg by 8 August 2005. |