Women and the Sanitation Economy: A Blueprint for Gender Equality

At the heart of sanitation economies are women driving transformative change for themselves, their families and communities through improved access to Next Generation Sanitation and more jobs, innovation and opportunities. This is the promise of SHF’s approach to gender, also offering a blueprint for sectors to ensure economic inclusion of women and girls. 

Around the world, women and girls are disproportionately affected by lack of access to sanitation, hygiene and menstrual health. Sharing sanitation facilities with other households - a reality for half a billion people globally - compromises women and girls’ privacy, dignity and safety while inadequate access to sanitation and hygiene also increases health risks for women and girls and limits their ability to safely and privately manage their periods. Even today, one in four women and girls worldwide struggle to manage their period safely and with dignity. This impacts their participation in homes, schools, communities and economies and can have deep impacts on their rights, equality and opportunities. 

To address these challenges, the sanitation sector must evolve. SHF’s Next Generation Sanitation approach involves providing products and services that meet the specific needs of women and girls as consumers while ensuring that women are part of decision-making processes, that they have access to adequate financing as business owners, and that they benefit equally from job opportunities in the sector. Concretely, it involves recognizing the central role of women and girls in sanitation economies, as agents of change across every step of the supply chain. 

“Women have long been the custodians of family health and well-being, but they are also impactful change-makers. Through the sanitation economy, and the associated menstrual health market, we are opening up greater opportunities for the social and economic inclusion of women, to realize their full potential and help build societies and economies where everyone thrives,” said Dr Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Uganda. 

According to estimates, women make up less than 17 percent of the water, sanitation, and hygiene labor force and a fraction of the policymakers, regulators, management, and technical experts in the sector (source: SWA). And yet, research commissioned by SHF indicates that sanitation economies in five countries in Africa alone could unlock almost USD 19 billion in gains including in women’s empowerment and economic inclusion. 

"Kenya has a legacy of strong women driving transformative ideas and shaping a better future for our communities and country. Through the sanitation economy and the growing menstrual health needs, we are unlocking greater opportunities for women and girls. By strengthening the enabling environment, financing, and support systems, we can empower them to achieve their full ambitions—creating a thriving future for all,” said Eng. Mary W. Wainaina, Ag. Director, Water, Sanitation and Sewerage Development Department, Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, Kenya. 

SHF has been working with partners in Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda to grow the sanitation economy and menstrual health market and deliver lasting impacts for women and girls. This includes efforts under our global menstrual health initiative, Capital M, that seeks to ensure women and girls everywhere have access to safe, quality and affordable menstrual products through policy and regulatory reform, private sector development and access to catalytic finance while promoting economic inclusion of women and girls. 

Investing in sanitation, hygiene, and menstrual health is an investment in the future of entire communities and economies. As women and girls shape the sanitation economy, they are laying the foundation for a gender-equal future—a vision that guides us at SHF across all of our work.

“Women and girls are drivers of change, and through the sanitation economy, they are driving transformation in their lives and within families, societies and economies. This is essential for the sector to thrive and to ensure healthier, inclusive communities and economies - a valuable blueprint for gender equality,” said Dominic O’Neill, Executive Director, SHF.

Stay tuned for more stories throughout March highlighting how SHF works with partner countries, including Kenya and Uganda, to #AccelerateAction and place women at the forefront of the sanitation economy.