Its dawn in small village of Bamboli in Alwar, Rajasthan India, a group of women gather not with pots, but with an important purpose. Known as sujal sahelis—community water stewards—they test water quality, monitor local water sources, and help their neighbours understand safe water practices. What began as a response to water scarcity has evolved into a broader leadership. These women are not only managing water; they are reshaping how their communities think about health, agriculture and shared resources. Today, 850 sujal sahelis have gone from being water stewards, to becoming informal community leaders.
Their story offers a powerful entry point into a larger truth: Water, when equitably accessed and responsibly governed, can be a catalyst for gender equity.
The global water crisis affects everyone—but not equally. Across rural India and much of the developing world, women and girls bear the heaviest burden of water scarcity. Hours spent each day walking long distances to collect water from unreliable or unsafe sources is not just physical labour; it is time taken away from education, livelihoods, and rest. For adolescent girls, it often means missed school days. For women, it translates into limited economic participation, increased health risks, and, in some cases, threats to personal safety.
Water scarcity, therefore, is not merely an infrastructure challenge—it is a barrier to equality. Where safe and accessible water is absent, existing inequalities deepen, shaping who has time, opportunity, and agency.
But the reverse is equally true. Reliable, nearby water access can transform lives in quiet yet profound ways. When water is available within or close to the home, women gain what development practitioners often call a time dividend—hundreds of hours saved annually. This time is not idle; it is reinvested. Women pursue literacy, learn vocational skills, care for their families with greater ease, or engage in income-generating activities.
Equally significant is the reduction of the invisible mental load. The constant anxiety of securing water—especially during dry seasons—can be all-consuming. When this burden is lifted, women are better able to plan, participate in community life, and make decisions that shape their futures.
However, access alone is not enough. Who makes decisions about water—and whose priorities are represented—matters deeply. In many rural contexts, water governance structures remain male-dominated, with a primary focus on irrigation and agriculture. While these are critical, they often overlook household needs such as drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene—areas where women’s perspectives are essential.
When women are included in water governance, the outcomes are more equitable and sustainable. Their involvement ensures that systems are designed with a holistic understanding of community needs, from health and sanitation to long-term resilience in the face of climate variability. The experience of the sujal sahelis illustrates this shift: as women step into roles of responsibility, water management becomes more inclusive, informed, and responsive.
The benefits extend beyond governance into health and well-being. Access to safe water and dignified sanitation reduces exposure to waterborne diseases, lowering medical expenses and easing caregiving responsibilities—roles that disproportionately fall on women. For girls, safe sanitation facilities are closely linked to school attendance and retention, particularly during adolescence.
Importantly, improved water access also unlocks economic potential. Across rural communities, women are leveraging their regained time and agency to start small enterprises—goat enterprises, dairy, backyard poultry, food processing, handicrafts and local retail. These initiatives diversify household incomes, improve family nutrition, and build resilience against climate-related disruptions such as erratic rainfall or crop failures.
Water, in this sense, is far more than a basic service. It is an enabler of opportunity and self-reliance.
As the climate crisis, population growth, and urbanisation place increasing pressure on water systems, the need for a gender-responsive approach becomes even more urgent. Solutions must go beyond infrastructure to address equity, participation, and long-term sustainability. A rights-based framework—one that recognises water as fundamental to health, livelihoods, and dignity—can help transform it from a source of inequality into a lever for inclusive development.
The lesson from communities led by the sujal sahelis is clear: when women are not just beneficiaries but decision-makers, the impact of water interventions multiplies. Health improves, education outcomes strengthen, local economies grow, and communities become more resilient.
Water may flow through pipes, wells, and rivers—but its true power lies in how it shapes lives. When women lead, that power extends far beyond access, creating ripples of equity that benefit entire communities and future generations.
This article is authored by Chandrakant Kumbhani, chief operating officer (community development) Ambuja Foundation.