Drinking Water and the Implications for Gender Equity and Empowerment: A Systematic Review of Qualitative and Quantitative Evidence (2023)

This comprehensive review of 1,280 peer-reviewed studies examines how drinking water access, quality, and management impact gender equity across five key dimensions: health, psychosocial stress, political power, social-educational conditions, and economic factors. The findings show that women have limited decision-making power in water policies, low participation in governance, and face educational and employment barriers due to time spent collecting water. The authors underscore the link between gender and water, calling for policies that improve water access, reduce gender disparities, and empower women in water-related decision-making.