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Volvamos a la fuente

Agua, saneamiento y residuos solidos

Empowering Rural Women through Water and Sanitation

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ESPAÑOL

On the 2024 International Day of Rural Women, we celebrate the essential role they play in the development of their communities. Despite the challenges they face, women continue to lead initiatives that transform lives, especially in access to clean water and sanitation

“Water is life,” as expressed by a beneficiary in Costa Rica. Therefore, it is also a basic human right, yet more than 150 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean lack access to this resource. The statistics hide realities that are even more stark in rural areas, where women are predominantly responsible for ensuring their communities have access to clean and safe water.

We don’t want to keep telling the same story in the region; we want to change it. Since 2009, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), together with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), through the Water and Sanitation Cooperation Fund in Latin America and the Caribbean (FECASALC), has worked in over 15 countries on projects that have provided access to clean water and sanitation services to more than 4.4 million people.

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Many of these projects are led by women in rural communities. These initiatives have not only improved the quality of life for these individuals but have also empowered women by giving them the necessary tools to lead change. These are some key factors that have empowered rural women through water and sanitation:

Less Unpaid Domestic Work:  

Rural women are the main ones responsible for seeking water and sanitation sources when there is no access. This translates into time and energy that could otherwise be spent on professional development, family, or even self-care. As Sara López, from the National Environmental Sanitation Service (SENASA), explains: “Helping women stop being slaves to carrying water is a hugely important achievement, especially in bathroom infrastructure. That changes everyone’s life.”

Women upstream’s Paraguay

Increased Female Participation in Male-Dominated Sectors:  

In rural areas, many women see their work go unnoticed or set aside their professional training to dedicate time to their families. Additionally, the water and sanitation sector remains highly male-dominated. In the Water and Sanitation Cooperation Fund, we know that water has a gender, and that’s why a significant part of the projects includes components that offer technical training to increase female participation in the sector while empowering women. For instance, the Multipurpose Water Supply and Irrigation Program for the municipalities of Batallas, Pucarani, and El Alto enabled the Umamamas to be trained in plumbing.

Women upstream’s Bolivia

Improved Systems Under Female Leadership:  

Rural women also have much to offer in improving the water and sanitation sector. Their perspective helps enhance project management and organize communities collaboratively. This was the case with Adriana Acuña, president of the Sierpe de Osa Water Board, and entrepreneur: “What I wanted was open communication, where everyone felt comfortable and confident to express their opinions without being overruled or ignored, like we used to be. Providing an environment where they can express ideas, complaints, and needs so that we give not 100% but 200%, and it’s reciprocal, and it’s worked,” she says.

Women Upstream’s Costa Rica

This year, the International Day of Rural Women carries the theme “Rural Women Facing the Global Cost-of-Living Crisis,” yet we know that women have always been crucial in managing crises, including the lack of water and sanitation. That’s why we celebrate the integration of these women into the water and sanitation sector, as water shouldn’t be an aspiration but a reality. Working together, drop by drop, we can ensure that every woman, every girl, and every rural community has access to clean and safe water.

Women upstream’s Panama

The IDB, along with AECID, share the common goal of providing quality water and sanitation services in rural areas of the region. Learn more about the projects carried out so far with the Water and Sanitation Cooperation Fund (FCAS) in this publication.  

To learn more about “Women Upstream,” subscribe to our blog here. 

Women Upstream Team:  

Coordination: Anamaría Núñez, María Augusta Olmedo, and Leticia Ortega  

IDB Gender Specialists: Naiara Martínez  

Content: Andrea Ortega Carreño and Paul Constance  

Illustration: Verónica Alvarado and Carolina Curbelo  

Audiovisual Production: Adriana Loeff  


Andrea Ortega C

Andrea Ortega C. is a journalist, international consultant on communication and gender, and a PhD candidate in feminist studies at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. She currently collaborates with various international organizations and NGOs in the United States, Spain, and Chile, developing communication strategies and content with a feminist perspective. Previously, she served as Senior Communications Associate at the IDB, where she led the content for the Social Sector during the pandemic. Andrea holds a master’s degree in Corporate Communication from Georgetown University and another in Gender Studies from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. She is the author of the book "Chile: The Business of the 21st Century" (Santiago, 2012), as well as several academic articles exploring the intersection of gender and communication.

Anamaría Núñez Zelaya

Anamaría Núñez is a Water and Sanitation Sr. Specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington DC. Among her main responsibilities in the Division, Anamaría is in charge of gender and inclusion aspects, is part of the Haiti team, in addition to supporting initiatives related to knowledge dissemination particularly linked to human rights, out-of-home water and sanitation services and innovation. Anamaria also leads and is part of initiatives related to strategic partnerships. Anamaría has a master’s degree in international relations from the Paris Institute of Political Sciences (Sciences Po Paris) and another master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University.

Leticia Ortega

Leticia Ortega Oropeza is a Gender and Diversity Consultant for the Water and Sanitation Division of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), providing technical assistance to Team Leaders in applying gender and diversity filters for both loan and technical cooperation projects. Leticia holds a Masters in Gender, Society, and Public Policies. With over fifteen years of diverse experience in the energy sector, covering oil, gas, and renewables, her background as an engineer brings a unique perspective to her role as a gender and diversity specialist. This fusion of technical competence and socially focused perspectives empowers her to develop innovative solutions that promote gender equality, diversity, and inclusion in development projects.

María Augusta Olmedo Velasco

María Augusta Olmedo Velasco es una experimentada comunicadora ecuatoriana. Con una licenciatura en Publicidad y una maestría en Comunicación Corporativa, cuenta con más de 20 años de experiencia. Ha trabajado en proyectos integrales de comunicación, gestión digital, análisis de datos y adquisición de clientes. También fue Brand Manager en medios de comunicación en Ecuador. Actualmente, desempeña el rol de Consultora de Comunicaciones para la División de Agua y Saneamiento del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID), donde lidera estrategias de comunicación y apoyo a eventos internacionales.

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