WASHed in stereotypes: A rigorous and critical systematic review of key gendered claims in the water sector in LMICs

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The water and sanitation interventions in LMICs for the last three decades, since the Dublin statement in 1992, not only started recognizing women's role in WASH service delivery, but unfortunately remain riddled with generalized slogans that don't take into consideration the heterogeneity, context and complexities of different communities and their gendered needs. This leads to skewed WASH policies that elevate gender disparities, retain unhelpful gender roles and relations, increase work burdens and ultimately lead to failure of WASH systems. The research challenge is thus to identify and investigate the implications of key gendered knowledge claims, and generate evidence towards better incorporating gender into WASH policy that goes beyond tokenism of quota representation.The project will be carried out first with a rigorous and critical systematic review that will go beyond synthesizing data and critically analyse the findings and provide direction for the next phase of empirical research. This next phase will adopt participatory-based approach where community will be recognized as contributors of knowledge and innovative methods like transect walks, slogan writing, documentary-filmmaking would be explored.The key impact would be contributing to the literature and discourse on improving WASH service delivery and gender equality, and provide evidence-based recommendations to advocates, practitioners and policymakers on ways to move from tokenism to transformation. In addition, it would bring spotlight directly to community voices and stories that reflect diversity and complexity, provide direction to future research in this subject and inspire researchers and practitioners to engage in participatory research engaging in more creative methods.