Mainstreaming of gender is about not making assumptions that a disaster will have the same impact on women and men, and that the needs of women and girls are understood and addressed through WASH activities.
Oxfam: A Little Gender Handbook for Emergencies
Oxfam Minimum Standards for Gender in Emergencies
Minimum Requirements
WASH staff should:
- Understand Oxfam’s gender policy.
- Ensure there is no negative impact on women due to Oxfam’s programming.
- Ensure basic gender analysis is completed and used to inform WASH programming.
- Collect gender disaggregated data.
- Ensure that women and men are actively involved in the design and targeting of humanitarian programme activities, in particular (but not limited to) the siting and design of sanitation facilities and water points, and the contents of hygiene kits.
- Ensure that the issue of women’s and girl’s dignity is addressed throughout the programme cycle, in particular (but not limited to) the design of latrines and bathing cubicles and access to appropriate menstrual protection materials.
- Promote the equal representation of women (not only in numbers, but also in decision-making) in WASH community-management structures.
- Promote the opportunity for women to be the explicit beneficiaries of WASH-related income generation activities.