Inequalities Faced By Women in IWRM Policies in Burkina Faso and Ghana

The aim of our communication is to show the inequalities still faced by women in the uses and the decisions related to water management despite their recognition as central to Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). Since almost 20 years, IWRM is at the core of the water policy framework of more and more countries, specially in Africa. One of the Dublin principles of IWRM includes « participatory water resource management and inclusion of women » (Prakash, 2007, 293). The Action Plan for IWRM in Burkina Faso and the National Water Policy in Ghana insist in the involvement of women in water management. Notably because of their numerous activities in rural areas they are considered as one of the crucial components to alleviate poverty and increase food security. Nevertheless, studies we have conducted in the South West of Burkina Faso and in the Upper East Region of the Ghana shows that women are still facing inequalities in terms of access to water and in decision making process about this resource. Several elements lead to this situation : a land tenure in customary and modern systems allow them to cultivate small and less fertile lands, at best ; an ineligibility to obtain large loans to expand their farming and processing endeavors ; a disconnection between policies that adress women issues in the boards of  IWRM institutions, from local to national levels, where their integration is weak. We show that a participatory modelling approach, called Companion Modeling has been useful to give them more room to express their voice.