Project implementation:

Lead: EnviroPress Zimbabwe | Partners: Mutirikwi Sub-catchment council, Tokwe Sub-catchment council 

About the project

Women in the Mutirikwi and Tokwe sub-basins are primary water users but remain underrepresented in formal water governance. Despite women being the primary users and managers of water at the household and community levels especially for domestic use, agriculture, and small-scale enterprises their representation in formal water governance structures remains disproportionately low. This underrepresentation limits the effectiveness, equity, and sustainability of water resource management in the region. This gap is compounded by socio-cultural norms, limited access to leadership training, and the absence of gender-sensitive policies and monitoring frameworks within water institutions. This project, led by EnviroPress Zimbabwe in partnership with the Mutirikwi and Tokwe Sub-Catchment Councils, aims to institutionalize gender inclusion through participatory assessment, strategy development, and capacity building. It aligns with BRIDGE Outcome 1 by strengthening shared water institutions and promoting women’s leadership. The project is designed to be impactful, sustainable, and fully compliant with BRIDGE guidelines. The project seeks to address these challenges by institutionalizing gender inclusion within the governance structures of the Tokwe and Mutirikwi sub-basins. Through participatory gender assessments, strategy development, and targeted capacity building, the initiative will empower women to take on leadership roles and influence water governance decisions. 

Key objectives
  1. To enhance technical and operational capacity of local water governance institutions by July 2026.
  2. To increase the proportion of women in formal water governance leadership positions and equip them with leadership skills by July 2026.
  3. To co-establish and operationalize gender inclusive strategy with stakeholders and align it with gender policies and community of practice
COUNTRY

Zimbabwe

BASIN

Save River Basin, Mutirikwi and Tokwe River Sub-Basins

GOAL

To strengthen the institutional capacity of the Mutirikwi Sub-catchment and Tokwe Sub-catchment and empower women for increased participation and leadership in water governance decision-making processes within the Tokwe and Mutirikwi sub-basins.

This project is part of the BRIDGE (Building River Dialogue and Governance) initiative grants: Gender Mainstreaming Grants / Women Leadership Grants. The BRIDGE Grants aim to address barriers to gender equality and women’s empowerment in transboundary water governance. The grants support practical actions to strengthen inclusive institutions and promote women-led solutions for managing and restoring freshwater ecosystems. BRIDGE is made possible through the Water Diplomacy Programme of the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC).