Program - Women in Water Panel

Women in Water Panel

Tracks

Stream 1

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Pyrmont Theatre

Overview

The ICID Taskforce on Women Empowerment in Water Management tackles global gender equality in water sectors. This panel, led by Hon Karlene Maywald, explores practical steps, successes, challenges, and international contributions from countries like Australia to advance women’s roles in water management across diverse sectors.

Details

The International Congress on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) has formed a Taskforce on Women Empowerment in Water Management. It is an excellent commitment to an important topic, but making this work internationally with such cultural diversity is more than a challenge.

It’s been nearly two years since the last major international irrigation and drainage conference in Australia and women in water management has become a theme adopted by many politicians and governments, policy makers, large employers and industry associations. Guaranteed to get an audience at an event, but much harder to take the practical steps to make a difference.

Gender equality is a Millenium Development Goal (MDG) in its own right, and is directly related to the achievement of MDG targets on reducing extreme poverty and hunger.

Do we really understand what it means, on-farm, in a developing nation?
What can countries like Australia offer to the international debate?
What are the positive experiences and initiatives across water and irrigation sectors – urban, agricultural, industrial – which might help hasten the transition towards embracing the knowledge and skills of women?
What are the abject failures and things to avoid?
What should politicians, governments, policy makers, large employers and industry associations be doing on an ongoing basis, both to empower women directly and participate in a positive and diverse international community?

This panel discussion will be facilitated by the Hon Karlene Maywald. Karlene was former Minister for Water Security and the River Murray for the South Australian Government, as well as Chair of the National Water Commission and a Director of SA Water.