Call for photos on Gender and Water in South Asia

The travelling exhibit is a collection of photograph-panels depicting various issues related to Gender and Water, keeping in mind that “a picture tells more than a thousand words”. The exhibit will consist of at least five panels, depicting several themes on Gender and Water in the South Asian region to start with. Apart from these 5 initial panels covering various themes, an extra “country” panel will be developed for each country of display in coordination with the potential exhibitor. Based on the received photographs the country panel intends to illustrate the most relevant water and gender issues of that country. To avoid problems with customs and/or shipping the exhibit will be made available digitally, and prints can be made locally. For the South Asian Chapter, its display is planned for 6 countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

South Asian chapter

The exhibit has been developed in partnership with GEF IW:Learn (Global Environment Facility, International Waters Learning Exchange and Resource Network) and has been on show in Latin America for the 2 years as well as in South Africa. Now it is starting its South Asian chapter and to assist GWA and IW-Learn with this phase, the Centre for Environment and Education (CEE), Ahmadabad, India has joined as a partner.

CEE is an Indian institution engaged in developing programmes and material to increase awareness about the environment and sustainable development. CEE's primary objective is to improve public awareness and understanding of the environment with a view to promoting the conservation and sustainable use of nature and natural resources, leading to a better environment and a better quality of life. To this end, CEE develops innovative programmes and educational material, and builds capacity in the field of education for sustainable development (ESD). CEE is very experienced in developing educational materials and they have kindly agreed to develop a format for the exhibit and coordinate its display in South Asia.

To make it a success, we invite you to actively partake in this endeavour!

Would you like to contribute photographs?

GWA applies a broad gender concept including power relations based on socioeconomic differences, age, ethnicity etc. Hence, the exhibit intends to show varied aspects of access, usage, control and management of water resources as shaped by the interplay of gender, caste, class, religion and ethnicity in the South Asian context. It also strives to draw attention towards the diverse skills, knowledge, priorities, rights and responsibilities of water- collectors, users and managers.

For the South Asian chapter of the exhibit the following themes have been identified:

1. Gender & Hygiene, Health and Sanitation
2. Water Conflicts, Displacement and Gender
3. Gender and Drinking Water: Access, Equity, Sustainability
4. Climate Change and Water-Related Disasters: Vulnerability, Gender and Adaptation
5. Gender and Water for Irrigation and Agriculture
6. Water-Based Livelihoods and Gender
7. Accountability and Transparency: Gender and Water Governance

As a water or gender professional you might have photos that could be worth showing in this exhibit. We especially would like to receive photographs that challenge conventional gender stereotypes and those that present women not just as victims, but as agents of change! Therefore, we invite you to send us these photos, with a brief description of what the photo is depicting (this is to avoid any misinterpretation of the material). Also do mention relevant details such as place where photograph was taken, under which project, brief description of activity and achievements of the activity etc. Each entry should be given a short title and text in English and (preferably) a local language translation limited to a maximum of 250-300 words each.

Please send your contributions and photos, in JPG format to Brijpal Patel who will be coordinating this exhibition for CEE at brijpal.patel@ceeindia.org, with a copy to shilpa.bentinck@gmail.com.

The selection of the photographs to be used in the exhibit will be done jointly by GWA and CEE. All photographs selected for display will carry full credit to the individual or organization submitting them. However, no remuneration will be paid for the contributed photographs.

Would you/your organization like to display the Travelling Exhibit?

Exhibition panels are expected to be ready for printing from August 08, onwards. If you would like to organise a display of this exhibit, please let us know at the earliest, since the organisation of its display may require some time. Please indicate where you want to show the exhibit (which places and events), when you would like to show the exhibit, what additional activities you could organise to get more attention for the exhibit (e.g. a special opening) and attach a preliminary budget.

Important Dates

The deadline for sending of photographs and text in English is 30 May 2007

Display of the Travelling Exhibit: From August 2008 onwards

We look forward to your participation in this exciting endeavour and hope you will send us many beautiful pictures as well as make use of the opportunity to show this exhibit in your country. In case you need any further clarifications, please do not hesitate to get in touch with brijpal.patel@cee.org or shilpa.bentinck@gmail.com.