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Women experience major consequences from water scarcity and pollution. Across the world, many women and girls lose education and employment opportunities due to spending long hours fetching water. They also face major health and safety risks due to lack of access to safe water to satisfy their menstrual and hygiene needs. Yet they remain underrepresented in leadership and decision-making in water governance, leaving policies disconnected from the realities they face.

A by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) finds that women remain significantly underrepresented in water governance across Africa. The analysis reveals that only 17% of national ministries responsible for water in Africa are led by women.

Moreover, just one out of eleven transboundary water organizations is headed by a woman, highlighting the absence of women's voices in regional cooperation and decision-making on shared water resources. At the academic level, only 13% of universities offering water science programs are led by women, further highlighting their underrepresentation in the field.

"These figures confirm that women in Africa are often left out of key leadership positions in the water sector, which may lead to policies that fail to fully address their health and sanitation needs," said Professor Grace Oluwasanya, lead author of the publication and Senior Researcher at UNU-INWEH. "This means that commitments to gender equality in water governance have not been fully realized, and urgent efforts are needed to ensure women have a decisive role in decision-making."

The authors note that the gender gap in Africa's water sector is driven by social and institutional barriers. These include traditional gender bias and limited access to technical education, which restrict women's opportunities to reach leadership roles. The analysis also identifies limited networking, weak mentorship, and restrictive recruitment and promotion practices as obstacles to women's advancement.

Overcoming these barriers is essential for achieving effective, inclusive, and sustainable water management across Africa. The publication recommends practical steps such as introducing gender quotas with support systems, expanding scholarships and mentorship opportunities, ensuring transparent and inclusive recruitment and promotion practices, and strengthening regional networks and funding mechanisms that prioritize gender equality.

"Excluding women from leadership weakens governance and undermines progress on water security and the Sustainable Development Goals," said Professor Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU-INWEH and the co-author of the publication. "Africa cannot afford to leave out key stakeholders in water governance. Women must be equally represented in shaping policies and decisions that directly impact them."

Several African countries have already begun to challenge the gender imbalance in water leadership. For instance, Kenya's Water Services Regulatory Board introduced guidelines requiring at least 33% female representation on utility boards, and Uganda's National Water and Sewerage Corporation introduced leadership programs for women in the sector. Although these steps are promising, their long-term impact is still uncertain.

"Achieving gender balance in water leadership demands a transformative shift in behavior—one that challenges entrenched norms and recognizes that leadership qualities are not inherently gendered," said Professor Oluwasanya. "Men, in particular, have a vital role to play as champions of change, by embracing inclusive practices such as equitable recruitment, promotion, and pay parity for comparable roles."

Key findings

• Women head only 17% of national ministries responsible for water and sanitation in Africa.

• By sub-region, leadership of women is highest in West and Southern Africa (20%), followed by North Africa (17%), East Africa (14%), and Central Africa (11%).

• Women lead 11% of government-owned and 15% of privately-owned higher education institutions offering water science across Africa, averaging 13% overall.

• Only one of eleven transboundary water organizations in Africa is led by a woman.

• Women hold 9–24% of leadership roles across water sector domains, with representation highest in low-income countries (24%), compared to 15% in upper-middle-income and 10% in lower-middle-income economies.