Gender, Infrastructure and Insecurity in new low-income communities of Delhi, India

8/3/2019 Gender, Infrastructure and Insecurity in new low-income communities of Delhi, India

1/35

P R A B H A K H O S L A N O V E M B E R 1 1 T H 2 0 1 1

Gender, Infrastructure and

Insecurity in new low-incomecommunities of Delhi, India

M A N I L A , P H I L I P P I N E S

The views expressed in this paper are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian

Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Governors, or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the

accuracy of the data in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their use. The countries listed in this

paper do not imply any view on ADB's part as to sovereignty or independent status or necessarily conform to ADB's

terminology.


2/35

Gender and Essential Services in Low-Income Communities:An Action Research Project on Womens Rights and Access to

Water and Sanitation in Asian Cities

2.5 year (2009-2011) action research projectbetween Women in Cities International, Montrealand Jagori, Delhi supported by IDRC

International Development Research Centre,

2

ana a.

Objective to test and adapt the womens safetyaudit methodology for use in low-income

communities with essential infrastructure (watsan,solid waste, drainage) and for gender-sensitivegovernance and services delivery.


3/35

The Womens Safety Audit

The womens safety audit is a methodologydeveloped in the field of womens safety in urbansettings. A participatory tool that aids in

identifying factors that increase womensvulnerabilities and assists in eneratin solutions

3

to address these vulnerabilities.

The process empowers women and assists in thedevelopment of partnerships between women in

communities, womens groups and localgovernments.

Has been used extensively in cities for many years.


4/35

Generic Womens Safety Audit

Women unite around vulnerabilities in localenvironments.

Contact local government officials councillors lanners utilities etc.

4

Organize and lead WSA walk. Officialsaccompany and listen.

Meet after the audit to discuss potentialchanges in the local environments to addressvulnerabilities.


5/35

Research Questions...

How does gender-insensitive infrastructure affectwomen and marginalized communities in accessingwatsan services?

How gender-sensitive are governance frameworksand can womens safet audits create a model for

5

addressing womens safety, security and rights inthese?

How can community women negotiate their rights in

local governance in all aspects of public provisioningand infrastructure development and address thegender gaps in services?


6/35

The Context:Delhi of the Research World Class = Anti-Poor

Economic liberalization cities witnessing a continualrecasting of spaces with development of world classcities, special enclaves and gated communities for the

rich and elites.

6

,considered legitimate citizens, pushed to the periphery.

Continuum of evictions/forced re-settlements, increasingurban poverty, homelessness, increased violence andexclusion of women (poor men, other genders) esp. fmmarginalized communities. Women suffer more in thisprocess.


7/35

Re-locations to smaller and smaller plots, no securityof tenure, collective infrastructure and facilities.

Sites of evictions become malls and entertainment

complexes for richer residents not common urban

7

n ras ruc ure, e.g. an or pu c ranspor .

Spaces no longer lend themselves to diverse uses andthereby increase sense of insecurity.

Jagori studies estimates > 70% of women face sexualharassment in public spaces of Delhi.


8/35

The Research Sites

Bawana - North westDelhi; created in2004 and on-goingsite for evicted slumdwellers with

estimated populationof >150,000

8

Map of Delhi with Bawana andBhalswa and eviction sites

Bhalswa: NorthDelhi (adjacent to theBhalswa landfill);created in 2000; with

estimated populationof 25,000


9/35

9


10/35

10


11/35

11


12/35

12


13/35

13


14/35

14


15/35

15


16/35

16


17/35

17


18/35

Action Research Process/Tools

Womens NGOs & community women familiarize themselveswith urban policies and service agencies

Rapid Situational Assessment of existing infrastructure Interviews with key informants service providers

Focus Group discussions women, girls, men, boys

18

In-depth interviews scoping marginality and accessibility Womens safety walks (13 -15) CBGA - Opportunity cost of water study (GRBI)

Gender and poverty assessment of watsan budget andexpenditures (Delhi) Capacity building in communities, communications, advocacy Community monitoring of research process


19/35

19


20/35

20


21/35

21


22/35

22


23/35

23


24/35

24


25/35

25


26/35

Adapted Womens Safety Audit

Womens NGOs & community women familiarizethemselves with urban policies and service agencies

Rapid Situational Assessment of existing infrastructure

Interviews with key informants service providers

26

ocus roup scuss ons women, g r s, men, oys

In-depth interviews scoping marginality andaccessibility (caste, religion, age, ability...)

Womens safety walks Develop strategies to engage with and negotiate with

elected officials and service providers


27/35

Some outcomes - Bawana

Negotiations with solid waste workers - better solid wastemanagement in 5 blocks;

Significant change in community in attitudes to women and

girls and their safety and bodily needs.

27

takers more considerate but boys and men continue tohave access to roofs.

Women develop CTC design with modifications they want. Extensive CB process to enable women and youth to make

changes in their local environments. Unexpected involvement and commitment of young women

and men.


28/35

Some outcomes - Bhalswa

Sufficient water for all residents combination ofpiped water and increase of water tankers in lanes.

A vacant and filthy area being converted into a park.

Limited system of solid waste collection first time

28

in 10 year history.

1 CTC area cleaned-up and caretaker responsive towomen. Only 2 functioning out of 5.

Some drainage work and road repairs.

Committees of women in all lanes to monitorinfrastructure and services .


29/35

A Handbook on Womens Safety Audits in Low-income Urban Neighbourhoods: A Focus onEssential Services (Hindi and English)www.femmesetvilles.org/pdf-

general/idrc_hanbook_wsalow-income.pdfor

29

. -content/uploads/2006/01/Handbook1.pdf

Film/Posters/stickers Series of 6 articles for newspapers and magazines. Chapter in upcoming book on inclusive cities. Several meeting with Delhi government and input

into the 12th 5 year plan, etc...


30/35

Disconnects

Fragmented governance architecture, lack of gender-sensitivity in policies and urban planning.

New settlements for poor like camps of internally

displaced people and not planning for newnei hbourhoods of the cit .

30

Temporary, poor design , no security of tenure, andcollective services/facilities or none i.e. Transport.

Costs of poor sanitation are high safety, dignity,

privacy, environmental, health no budget line inDelhi government utilities for watsan for poorcommunities grants fm national govnt.


31/35

Recommendations from the Research

Residents in re-location colonies should be given landtitles and preferably shared titles women and men.

De-link services provision (watsan) from land title-critical for women and girls!

Existing insufficient and inappropriate infrastructure

31

should be made gender-sensitive and permanent - sewerlines, household connections for water and sewers, solidwaste management with composting, redesign of drains,rain-water harvesting; repair lanes.

CTCs should have gender-sensitive design andmanagement. Renovate to ensure womens and girlssafety, privacy, dignity and include MHM.


32/35

Recommendations cont...

More and stable budgets . Health and safety incommunities dependant on womens time, labourand loss of livelihoods. Poor women subsidizinginsufficient govnt. services. Govnt. spending Rs.30

(US$.66) on water and Rs.80 (US$1.78) for

32

sanitation per JJ colony resident 2011-12!

Women and young women and men should becentrally involved in all planning , design &

rehabilitation efforts, policy reform, and the creationand management of infrastructure, facilities andservices.


33/35

Recommendations cont...

Public toilets safe, hygienic and affordable must beprovided as part of government services across the citywith MHM and for all social classes of women.

Need to explore de-linking water from sewage-

33

.

Discretionary funds allocated to elected officials fordevelopment projects need guidelines for priority-setting, transparency, and involvement of esp. women in

decision making.

All new areas for re-settlement need gender-sensitiveinfrastructure, facilities and services.


34/35

Acknowledgements

Suneeta Dhar, Kathryn Travers, Surabhi TandonMehotra, Sarita Baloni, Chaitali Haldar, KailashBhatt, Adil Ali and the women and youth inBhalswa and Bawana.

34

Project Partners Action India working inBhalswa, Centre for Budgets and GovernanceAccountability (CBGA) on Gender-Responsive

Budgets, One World Asia and Kirti oncommunication and advocacy tools, and WomensFeature Service news stories.


35/35

Thank- ou.

35

Date post:	07-Apr-2018
Category:	Documents
Upload:	adbgad
View:	217 times
Download:	0 times

Gender, Infrastructure and Insecurity in new low-income communities of Delhi, India

Documents