Understanding the Impacts of Climate-driven Urban Water Insecurities on Women in Nepal

Faculty Mentors

Dr. Robert Dongol and Dr. Sapana Lohani

Project Description

W&M students will explore how conflicts over groundwater access in urban areas in Nepal are impacting women. This research will inform regulatory frameworks that ensure resilience of women in regions impacted by climate change.

Climate change is impacting the access and availability of water resources for many global communities, potentially creating conflicts, disparities, and vulnerability for many communities. In Nepal, many people dependent on the local water sources face difficulties in getting water access due to gender disparities in resource allocation.

In Nepal, climate-driven changes in water resources have forced local communities to rely on groundwater for their domestic requirements due to the lack of a water supply network.  This has resulted in major water-related conflicts between local communities and commercial water extractors, posing a substantial threat to public health, particularly to women. Commercial water extractors have been unscientifically extracting groundwater in areas with potential for groundwater, endangering the local livelihood by limiting their access to water resources.

W&M and Nepali students will investigate the conflicting issues on water sources from a gender lens, needed to develop regulatory mechanisms for both extraction and sustainable water resource management to ensure climate resilience of local communities in Nepal.

Number of Students

2

Prerequisites and Required Skills:

Pre-req: Coursework in environmental policy. Previous coursework in gender studies is a plus.

Travel Required

Two W&M students will travel to Nepal for a month over the summer to collect data. Students will stay in basic hotels and will be walking to conduct interviews and collect field data. Students should be prepared for a multicultural experience and should have a commitment to self reflection, flexibility, time management, and learning from communities from cultures different from their own.

Project ID - Format

25-007-25 - CRP Year