Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy. 2012. Presentation from Session 8: Gender, Water , Food.

1. Gender – water –
food
Mekong region
Oxfam’s Mekong Regional Team
CPWF Forum Hanoi Nov 2012

2. Gender – water – food
Context and snapshot 1
Globally: closing the ‘gender gap’ in agriculture – or increasing
women’s contribution to food production and enterprise by providing
equal access to resources and opportunities – could reduce the
number of hungry people in the world by 12-17 per cent, or by 100
to 150 million people. (Citation: FAO. 2011. The State of Food and Agriculture: Women in
Agriculture – Closing the gender gap for development. Rome: FAO)
Women comprise an average of 43 percent of the agricultural labor
force (citation: FAO. 2011. The State of Food and Agriculture, p. 7) which is up to almost 50
per cent in Eastern and Southeastern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa)

3. Gender – water – food
Context and snapshot 2
Why we need to think women and women need
to be influentially involved…
Vietnam: Despite substantial progress in
closing gender gaps fundamental
challenges remain:
• Women’s wages on average 75% of men’s
• Decision making structures at all levels
remain male dominated
• 64% of working women in rural areas work
in agriculture, compared to 53% men but
women have less access to training and
on/off farm employment

4. Gender – water – food
Context and snapshot 3
“ Migrant women, widows, older women, ethnic minorities
and women with disabilities are particularly
disadvantaged” (World Bank 2011)
Women migrants in Vietnam earn 45% less than men for
same hours worked

5. Gender – water – food
Brainstorm exercise
Why does gender matter in food – water - energy?

6. Gender – water – food
Assessing the assessment tools and guidance

7. Gender – water – food
Oxfam’s project assumption:
Involving women…
• More often
• More meaningfully
• Earlier and ongoing
• With power
• In decisions = better, more sustainable outcomes

8. Gender – water – food
Project review - Assessment and guidance
tools
MRC Design Guidance
http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/Consultations/SEA-
Hydropower/Preliminary-DG-of-LMB-Mainstream-dams-
FinalVersion-Sept09.pdf
RSAT
http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/Reports/RSAT-
Revision-3-for-printingOCT-3-2010-Corrected-FINAL.PDF
HSAP
http://www.hydropower.org/sustainable_hydropower/hsaf_Hydropower
_Sustainability_Assessment_Protocol.html