An analysis of sanitation policies in southern Africa : the case of gender policies in sanitation in South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe

The national policies of Zambia and Zimbabwe combine sanitation with water supply, South Africa has a separate sanitation policy. Both Zambia and Zimbabwe have adopted gender mainstreaming strategies for the sector such as measures to enhance women’s participation in traditionally male-dominated professions such as latrine building. A programme called ‘Gender Mainstreaming in South Africa’ (GEMSA) has been developed to empower the National Community Water and Sanitation Training Institute (NCWSTI) to mainstream gender in the sector. However, institutional responsibilities and sanitation financing are not yet clear. All three countries also have national gender policies. Only the Zambian policy identifies key problems in sanitation and recommends that the government promotes gender equity in decision-making, male female partnerships in providing sanitation and gender friendly technologies.