Policy advocates and development stakeholders have called for stronger representation of women in water governance and budgetary decisions, arguing that women must have a direct role in shaping policies and allocating resources to address Nigeria’s water challenges.
The call was made during a multimedia exhibition and dialogue programme titled Stories of a Broken Water Cycle, organised by the Lokoja Dialogues Climate Initiative at UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark. The programme, hosted by the UNFPA Nordic Representation Office from October 8 to 22, brought together policymakers, community representatives and development partners to examine the effects of water insecurity on livelihoods and public health.
The exhibition used creative works, photography and community perspectives, including accounts from areas such as Argungu, to highlight the consequences of unreliable water infrastructure. These include challenges affecting women’s health, privacy, menstrual hygiene and economic opportunities.
During a panel discussion on gender and governance, advocate Patricia Emmanuel called for women to move beyond being responsible for collecting water and become active participants in decisions about water management.
“We cannot fix the broken water cycle with half the population excluded from the solution. We must move women from water carriers to water governance,” she said.
Panellists criticised approaches that invite women to consultation sessions without giving them meaningful influence over policies, resource management or public spending. They argued that women’s experiences of water shortages should inform decisions about infrastructure, service delivery and development priorities.
Head of the UN Women Nordic Liaison Office, Sarah Brun, also stressed the relationship between visibility, political influence and funding. She said institutions needed to do more than acknowledge women’s experiences by sharing decision-making power with them.
Her remarks underscored concerns that issues affecting women could remain underfunded when their needs were not adequately represented in policy discussions and budgetary processes.
Co-founder of Lokoja Dialogues, Polly Alakija, observed that equitable access to water in Nigeria had deteriorated over the 37 years since she first arrived in the country.
The exhibition sought to bring community experiences into international development discussions, highlighting the need for inclusive governance and more responsive water policies.
The call places emphasis on ensuring that women are not merely consulted but are represented in institutions and processes responsible for water planning, infrastructure investment and public expenditure.
Deborah Adeyefa
