A newly formed no bet-for-profit organization, WODER, dedicated and motivated to work towards water security for all for all the time, was at the World Water Week (WWW) 2024 organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) from August 25 to 29th. The WWW2024 theme was, ‘Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future’ and centered around water cooperation for peace and security. The event underscored the collaborative effort needed to achieve a peaceful and sustainable future.
The landmark event gathered experts, organizations, and stakeholders to discuss critical issues surrounding water security, access, and the challenges posed by climate change.
Our session scheduled on the first day first Talkshow stood out as pivotal discussing ‘Water Anxiety over Security: Distressed Women in Disaster-led Displacement’. The session brought to light a pressing global issue of water anxiety and its severe impact on women amidst the rising natural and manmade disasters.
The Talkshow featured a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava (MMB), Founder-Director of WforW Foundation and CEO of WODER, and Durga Das (DD), Founder of Aeronero and WODER. The session was moderated by Hajar Yagkoubi (HY), a presenter on the Dutch national news radio, a Gen Z trendwatcher, and a public speaker. This essay is the conversation during the Talkshow to highlight the ongoing action research on the topic.
MBB: The disasters, both natural and manmade events and disturbances, are increasing in the world impacting more people than ever owing to the multi-layered social-ecological-technical factors. The flood, drought, earthquake, landslide, sea level rise, salinity ingress, desertification, glacier melting, avalanche, heat wave, etc. are considered nature/climate induced disasters; and the war, communal violence, genocide, riots, forced evacuation, epidemics, pandemics, etc. are considered manmade or socially constructed disasters.
The impacts of the disasters, indeed more pronounced among the poor, vulnerable, marginalized communities, are reaching their extreme alongside degradation of the natural resources and biodiversity. Further, the layers of class, literacy, caste, religion, color, belief, and more influence the access to relief works. Adding to these, the women, in particular, are disproportionately impacted physically and psychologically in the disasters besides, marginalized socially and politically in the relief works.
The physical distress related to water scarcity has been well documented, but since the COVID-19 pandemic, the psychological impacts—like anxiety, stress, and trauma—have become more recognized in the policy and practice. Addressing both the physical and psychological aspects of water anxiety is now essential to disaster relief and recovery.
Our session scheduled on the first day first Talkshow stood out as pivotal discussing ‘Water Anxiety over Security: Distressed Women in Disaster-led Displacement’. The session brought to light a pressing global issue of water anxiety and its severe impact on women amidst the rising natural and manmade disasters.
The Talkshow featured a thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Mansee Bal Bhargava (MMB), Founder-Director of WforW Foundation and CEO of WODER, and Durga Das (DD), Founder of Aeronero and WODER. The session was moderated by Hajar Yagkoubi (HY), a presenter on the Dutch national news radio, a Gen Z trendwatcher, and a public speaker. This essay is the conversation during the Talkshow to highlight the ongoing action research on the topic.
Scope of Disaster and Distress
HY: Intro to disaster and distress...MBB: The disasters, both natural and manmade events and disturbances, are increasing in the world impacting more people than ever owing to the multi-layered social-ecological-technical factors. The flood, drought, earthquake, landslide, sea level rise, salinity ingress, desertification, glacier melting, avalanche, heat wave, etc. are considered nature/climate induced disasters; and the war, communal violence, genocide, riots, forced evacuation, epidemics, pandemics, etc. are considered manmade or socially constructed disasters.
The impacts of the disasters, indeed more pronounced among the poor, vulnerable, marginalized communities, are reaching their extreme alongside degradation of the natural resources and biodiversity. Further, the layers of class, literacy, caste, religion, color, belief, and more influence the access to relief works. Adding to these, the women, in particular, are disproportionately impacted physically and psychologically in the disasters besides, marginalized socially and politically in the relief works.
The physical distress related to water scarcity has been well documented, but since the COVID-19 pandemic, the psychological impacts—like anxiety, stress, and trauma—have become more recognized in the policy and practice. Addressing both the physical and psychological aspects of water anxiety is now essential to disaster relief and recovery.
Each disaster creates different forms of distress, impacting water availability, leading to water anxiety
Water anxiety and its impact
HY: Understanding water anxiety and water security...MBB: Traditionally, water anxiety is used as a medical term for aquaphobia which refers to a fear of water. The concept is under explored. Water Anxiety in this context is described as the mental stress that one encounters because of the uncertainty of information regarding the availability and access to water and sanitation. The meaning of water anxiety spans both physical and psychological condition. The distress rises from the anxiety for and the lack/delay of access to water, food, shelter, livelihood, education, mobility, and more. The anxiety of displacement and hope for rehabilitation encompasses much of the anxiety, of which access to or lack of water and basic everyday services act as stepping stones to relief or steeping anxiety respectively.
Water anxiety is now common across vulnerable communities and even transcends to affluent communities
Water anxiety can be observed in both vulnerable and affluent communities with the rising water crises and the related water epidemics. Water Anxiety is now among everyone, especially women and youth. The project emphasizes the profound ‘anxiety’ related to water insecurity, significantly impacting mental well-being among women. Water anxiety is also among the water working communities. The fact that so many of us (12000+ participants) gathered at the WWW2024 is good enough to say that as water community we are concerned about the rising water crisis and that we are constantly seeking ways to solve the immediate problems and find some comforting long-term solutions through cross learning from across disciplines, sectors, and regions.
Water Anxiety is considered as part of and at the core of Water Security. The fact that despite all the technological, financial and human investments, attaining water security looks incomplete because the water anxiety is not factored into it. Bringing the psychological aspect along with the physical aspect of securing water seems fundamental. This is better understood when one interacts with women from across sections of the society as how ensuring family’s good health is constant in their minds whether getting water is easy or difficult.
The ongoing project, ‘Water Anxiety and Security of Women in Disaster led Distresses’ at WODER focus is firstly, on the water related distress experienced by women (of all age groups) before, during and after the disaster; and simultaneously, on the resilience building process that women embody from the past and present experiences toward water security.
DD: While the affluent community may experience water anxiety as an inconvenience, the impact on vulnerable communities, especially women, is far more severe. For many women, water anxiety stems from the constant uncertainty of whether, when, and where they will secure water next, adding to their emotional and physical burden.
Water Anxiety is considered as part of and at the core of Water Security. The fact that despite all the technological, financial and human investments, attaining water security looks incomplete because the water anxiety is not factored into it. Bringing the psychological aspect along with the physical aspect of securing water seems fundamental. This is better understood when one interacts with women from across sections of the society as how ensuring family’s good health is constant in their minds whether getting water is easy or difficult.
The ongoing project, ‘Water Anxiety and Security of Women in Disaster led Distresses’ at WODER focus is firstly, on the water related distress experienced by women (of all age groups) before, during and after the disaster; and simultaneously, on the resilience building process that women embody from the past and present experiences toward water security.
DD: While the affluent community may experience water anxiety as an inconvenience, the impact on vulnerable communities, especially women, is far more severe. For many women, water anxiety stems from the constant uncertainty of whether, when, and where they will secure water next, adding to their emotional and physical burden.
Women are typically responsible for managing household water needs; when a disaster occurs, it significantly increases their burden
Water anxiety has social and economic consequences as well. Women may be forced to travel long distances to secure water, exposing them to risks like violence and taking time away from income-generating activities, which perpetuates cycles of poverty. Given a choice between water and livelihood to women, they will choose the former over latter, thus it is also keeping women behind in comparative profession and prosperity. And in disasters, women are completely engrossed in safety of the family with almost compromising their wellbeing.
Ongoing stress can lead to long-term mental health issues, destabilizing families and communities
Project identification
HY: Details about the project and purpose...MBB: The project examines the characteristics of anxiety among women regarding access to water and sanitation in the disaster-prone areas; and explores the attributes of resilience building among the women towards water security. The aim is to understand the nuances of disaster and distress in order to intervene strategically to facilitate water and sanitation provision and management in w/holistic way. The objectives are:
- To understand the nature of disasters and their impact on water.
- To understand the nature of water anxiety (social-economic-cultural-psychological) on women during and post-disaster.
- To understand the system preparedness for disaster mitigation and adaptation besides addressing water anxiety and security.
- To register people’s perception of disaster and preference on addressing the water security for women.
- To identify areas of intervention for facilitating short- and long-term solutions towards building water resilient communities.
- Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in Kalimpong District, West Bengal, India
- 2023 Communal violence in Kakching District, Manipur, India
- 2024 Deforestation and displacement in Hasdeo, Chhattisgarh, India
- 2024 Landslides in Wayanad District, Kerela, India
- Recurring Flood in Aamni Panchayat, Mansee Block, Khagaraia District, Bihar, India
- Recurring Earthquake in Lamjung District, Nepal
- Sea-level rise in Satkhaira District, Bangladesh
- Recurring Hurricane in Acapulco, Mexico
- 2022 Ebola outbreak in Kyaka, Uganda
- 2023 War in Gaza, Palestine
Project approach
HY: Details about the project planning and action...MBB: The project is planned as action research and has two broad overlapping approaches: research and application.
Research: Different overlapping methods are planned to get a w/holistic picture of what, how and why. Firstly, a detailed literature review to understand the different disasters and the impacts they incur on access to water and sanitation with specific lens to women. Then conduct detailed analysis of the geographical and environmental conditions of the selected disaster sites. This is followed by physiographic analyses of on-ground conditions over time through satellite imaging and primary fieldwork mapping. Secondly, primary fieldwork for reconnaissance survey of the place and the people of the identified areas includes participatory methods such as, informal interactions, focus group discussions, and oral history using open ended structured questions to understand how disaster disrupt the water sources and what specific challenges people—especially women—face. Thirdly, key informant interviews to understand the system preparedness for disaster mitigation and adaptation again with specific lens to access to water and sanitation to women in order to learn the gaps and challenges in implementation besides building local partnerships. In the process, establish local partnerships with local NGOs, CSOs, and government organizations for further engagement in the intervention area. Fourthly, detailed perception and preference survey among local people using questionnaire in order to quantify the gravity of the situation and the required support for preparing a broad budget to share with the prospective donors. Finally (and simultaneously across above), learning from case studies to examine various disaster scenarios across different regions on how water anxiety manifests in different contexts.
Expected outcome
HY: Takeaway from the project...DD: Addressing water anxiety requires a community-centered solution approach.
Application: The plan is to simultaneously do the outreach of the study and the studied areas to make the project the face and the voice to reach the larger populace including the prospective funders who seek to make genuine contribution towards betterment and the officials who seek to ensure benefits reaching rightfully to the last mile. It is also during this process, identify the women with leadership qualities to take them onboard into the project implementation which may indirectly support them later in building livelihoods. Following this, facilitating the communication between the local communities and NGOs-CSOs to the prospective funders and officials with a hope to improve the distress addressal system. In continuation, set up local teams to implement prospective initiatives for resolving some of the short-term and long-term water needs of the place. Further in continuation, monitor and manage the prospective initiatives with the local team to stay connected in addressing water anxiety and security.
Empowering women to take leadership roles in water management ensures effective and sustainable solutions
For implementation, the focus is on turning the understanding into actionable solutions that have a lasting impact. Firstly, developing community-driven solutions that directly address the specific anxieties related to water access. This will involve immediate measures like, ensuring reliable access to clean water during crisis and long-term strategies that can improve local water infrastructure. Secondly, creating livelihood through local solutions for women will be key intervention for a long-lasting engagement. This will include training and capacity building for the women at the intervention area. Thirdly, a critical aspect of successful implementation is empowering local leadership roles in water management among the women. By involving them in decision-making and providing the necessary tools and knowledge, we can ensure that these solutions are both effective and sustainable. This also promotes gender equity and strengthens community resilience. Fourthly and importantly, building local-global partnerships to ensure these interventions have a long-lasting impact. Collaborating with local organizations, government bodies, and international agencies help secure the resources and the support needed to sustain these efforts over time.
MBB: Two case studies are piloted (photos), one from natural disaster of GLOF at Kalimpong in West Bengal, India (before the WWW2024) and another manmade disaster of communal violence at Kakching and Imphal in Manipur, India (after the WWW2024). Both places have heightened gender-specific vulnerabilities. While the nature of distress is different at both places which also affect the resilience building process among women, one thing comes out common when interacting with the women, that they are more concerned about their family especially children than themselves. It is therefore crucial that there are agencies taking care of the women.
Cases studied
HY: Some experience from the ground...MBB: Two case studies are piloted (photos), one from natural disaster of GLOF at Kalimpong in West Bengal, India (before the WWW2024) and another manmade disaster of communal violence at Kakching and Imphal in Manipur, India (after the WWW2024). Both places have heightened gender-specific vulnerabilities. While the nature of distress is different at both places which also affect the resilience building process among women, one thing comes out common when interacting with the women, that they are more concerned about their family especially children than themselves. It is therefore crucial that there are agencies taking care of the women.
DD: Women face increased risks related to access to clean water and safe sanitation during and post disaster. The psychological trauma, exacerbated by systemic inequalities, demonstrates the urgent need for tailored, community-driven interventions. Besides access to clean water and safe sanitation, the anxiety is also about stability of their residency and sustainability of relief works. Their biggest concern, that we interpret as anxiety, is that their pleas ‘be heard’.
Disasters induce psychological trauma, with women shouldering emotional burdens due to their caregiving responsibilities
For example, the coastal communities face significant challenges as rising sea levels and cyclones compromise access to fresh water, intensifying water anxiety among women. In Bangladesh, women experience heightened water anxiety due to the unpredictability of their water sources because of high salinity ingress augmented with frequent storms. Similarly, Mexico’s experience with Hurricane Otis showed how devastating water anxiety can be in the aftermath of natural disasters. In both cases, water scarcity persists long after the disaster ended, highlighting the importance of sustainable long-term solutions.
MBB: At this preliminary stage of the project, the thoughts span both what can we give and get. For the former, the plan on action arena is documentation and dissemination of the local solutions and the resilience building process which will also mean hearing out the affected communities. There are various methods that can be used to acknowledge, appraise, and appreciate the efforts made by the local communities. This is urgent as it is double benefiting for learning and sharing for us and them. This will also help us mobilize grants from prospective donors to support the short and long-term water needs of the studied sites. In the policy arena, the urge is to strategize integration of mental health support in the relief works through Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) policies guided by the United Nations besides urge the governments and relief agencies to consider water anxiety as part of water security goal.
For the latter part, the research plan is to understand the pattern of water anxiety pertaining to different disasters to be able to feed into the policy and practice. An important plan is also to induce the concept of water anxiety in the water, women and disaster curricula at academic courses and executive trainings. Since the growing challenges of climate change and urbanization need all of us to be resilient to face and adapt to uncertain situations including disasters. As we continue to gather data from different disasters, we hope the insights will be crucial in shaping a more comprehensive strategy to bring water anxiety at the center of water security. By learning from across regions and fostering collaborations, scalable solutions can be developed to address water anxiety in diverse contexts, ensuring both vulnerable and affluent communities are equipped to face future challenges.
Way forward
HY: Broader implications...MBB: At this preliminary stage of the project, the thoughts span both what can we give and get. For the former, the plan on action arena is documentation and dissemination of the local solutions and the resilience building process which will also mean hearing out the affected communities. There are various methods that can be used to acknowledge, appraise, and appreciate the efforts made by the local communities. This is urgent as it is double benefiting for learning and sharing for us and them. This will also help us mobilize grants from prospective donors to support the short and long-term water needs of the studied sites. In the policy arena, the urge is to strategize integration of mental health support in the relief works through Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) policies guided by the United Nations besides urge the governments and relief agencies to consider water anxiety as part of water security goal.
For the latter part, the research plan is to understand the pattern of water anxiety pertaining to different disasters to be able to feed into the policy and practice. An important plan is also to induce the concept of water anxiety in the water, women and disaster curricula at academic courses and executive trainings. Since the growing challenges of climate change and urbanization need all of us to be resilient to face and adapt to uncertain situations including disasters. As we continue to gather data from different disasters, we hope the insights will be crucial in shaping a more comprehensive strategy to bring water anxiety at the center of water security. By learning from across regions and fostering collaborations, scalable solutions can be developed to address water anxiety in diverse contexts, ensuring both vulnerable and affluent communities are equipped to face future challenges.
There is a need to create a bridge of support and system across scales to ensure support to the vulnerable communities
It will be worth waking and talking the donors, policy makers, officials, and students, to the disaster sites to understand the anxiety and the resilience building to develop empathy and resilience skills. And who knows in the process, many who are fighting their own anxiety may find a purpose of life to solve others anxiety. Building more humanitarian workers is worth a way forward as the need of the hour with the rising natural and manmade disasters.
In the world of increasing environmental and social challenges, these discussions are crucial for shaping future strategies that ensure equitable access to clean water and safe sanitation besides promote community resilience. The Talkshow at the WWW2024 on "Water Anxiety over Security: Distressed Women in Disaster-led Displacement" concluded highlighting the need for interactive top-down policy and investment and bottom-up community resilience to better integrate the physical and psychological aspects of water in/security. The session called for action, urging the policymakers, organizations, donors, and communities to bring water anxiety into the mainstream discourse of water security especially taking cognizance of long-term disaster recovery.
*Mansee Bal Bhargava, PhD is an entrepreneur, researcher, educator, speaker, and mentor from Environmental Design Consultants Ahmedabad, WforW Foundation, WODER; more about her are at: www.mansee.in, www.edc.org.in, and www.wforw.in. Durga Das is the founder of AERONERO and WODER. Garbhit Naik is an MSc student at ITC, Twente University, The Netherlands University and Interdisciplinary Researcher at Prakruti Prerana Foundation, W.for.W Foundation and WODER. Sromona Burman is an Interdisciplinary Researcher at W.for.W Foundation and WODER
In the world of increasing environmental and social challenges, these discussions are crucial for shaping future strategies that ensure equitable access to clean water and safe sanitation besides promote community resilience. The Talkshow at the WWW2024 on "Water Anxiety over Security: Distressed Women in Disaster-led Displacement" concluded highlighting the need for interactive top-down policy and investment and bottom-up community resilience to better integrate the physical and psychological aspects of water in/security. The session called for action, urging the policymakers, organizations, donors, and communities to bring water anxiety into the mainstream discourse of water security especially taking cognizance of long-term disaster recovery.
Bibliography
- Anderson, M.B, Understanding the Disaster-Development Continuum: Gender Analysis is the Essential Tool. In B. Walker (ed) Women and Emergencies. Oxford: Oxfam. 1994.
- Ashraf, M. A., & Azad, M. A. K. (2015). Gender issues in disaster: Understanding the relationships of vulnerability, preparedness and capacity. Environment and ecology research. 3(5), 136-142.
- Asian Development Bank. (2021). Climate Change, Water Security, And Women: A Study on Water Boiling in South Tarawa, Kiribati.
- Bhadra, S., and Dyer, A. R. (2011). Psychosocial support for harmony and peacebuilding: Rebuilding community in Gujarat. In Peace from disasters—Indigenous initiatives across communities, countries and continents, ed. Hiroshima University Peacebuilding. 97–104.
- Elliott A and Hsu EL. (2016) The Consequences of Global Disasters. London: Routledge.
- Harding, S. (1991). Whose science? Whose knowledge? Thinking from women’s lives. Cornell University Press.
- World Water Week 2024. https://www.worldwaterweek.org/
*Mansee Bal Bhargava, PhD is an entrepreneur, researcher, educator, speaker, and mentor from Environmental Design Consultants Ahmedabad, WforW Foundation, WODER; more about her are at: www.mansee.in, www.edc.org.in, and www.wforw.in. Durga Das is the founder of AERONERO and WODER. Garbhit Naik is an MSc student at ITC, Twente University, The Netherlands University and Interdisciplinary Researcher at Prakruti Prerana Foundation, W.for.W Foundation and WODER. Sromona Burman is an Interdisciplinary Researcher at W.for.W Foundation and WODER
Comments