“If I was in charge”: A qualitative investigation of water security, gender-based violence and wellbeing in Kenya

The links between lack of access to WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) and adverse health outcomes is well documented. There is a recent nascent literature on the links between water security and gender-based violence (GBV) that is relatively sparse; this is surprising given firstly that the global water issue is quintessentially a gendered one and secondly that we know this to be a major issue for women particularly in Sub Saharan Africa. This paper reports on the lived experiences of seniors through oral histories (n = 25) with a particular focus on WASH and gender-based violence using Kisian, Kenya as a case study. Results reveal concerns due to inadequate access to safe water and sanitation facilities and also perceptions of structural gender-based violence where participants reported feeling marginalized by government due to lack of supply of clean piped water. The results also reveal that women are excluded from water governance. In conclusion, gender mainstreaming in water resource management and financial support for gender equity should be adopted by all relevant actors in the WASH sector, particularly given our learnings from the COVID 19 pandemic.