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Women for water & peace (W4WP)

Freetown, Western Area, Sierra Leone 2022 - 2023

FEDURP, ILo, ILRAJ, Sierra Leone Employers' Federation, Sierra Leone Labour Congress, UNCDF, WANEP


Breve descripción

The project will contribute to the mitigation of water-based community conflicts and prevent their potential eruption into violence by tackling one of the dominant threats to peace: a lack of equitable access to water. The project will support the construction, through a community-led approach, of 25 water kiosks with solar-powered purification systems. Young women will be empowered to operate the kiosks as businesses and become agents of change. The women and girls will also learn how to take leadership roles in diffusing conflicts in their communities associated with water scarcity.

Propósito principal
Water harvesting / storage / irrigation,
Provisión / protección / diversificación del empleo y los medios de vida / reducción de la pobreza,
Rehabilitation and reconstruction of critical infrastructure (transport, housing, energy, water infrastructure),
Igualdad de género,
Effective conflict mediation and resolution mechanism

Otros beneficios esperados
Climate change mitigation / capture of greenhouse gases, Reducing competition for natural resources

Community animators raising awareness and understanding of water-related sexual and gender-based violence, Sierra Leone, 2023. Credit: UNCDF.

Contexto de conflicto
According to a 2018 African Development Bank study, 42% of Sierra Leoneans lack access to potable water, and 89% do not have access to water in their homes. This is exacerbated during the 8-month dry season (December to May) and continues to deteriorate due to climate change. This problem is even more dramatic in poor communities and slums, and it affects women and children disproportionatly. The growing population, proliferation of slums, unplanned development and deforestation in catchment areas put pressure on the water distribution system in Freetown. Women and girls are usually the primary providers and managers of water in their households and are forced to walk long distances to meet household needs. Furthermore, the lack of regulation, increase in demand and increased competition over water resources have all increased conflict over water resources. This has led to an increase in influence and control over water resources by prominent community members, mainly men, leaving marginalised community members with insufficient water for their basic needs. The Water Conflict Chronology currently lists 926 events related to water and conflict. The risks and incidences of water-related conflict and political instability are growing, and the underlying factors are intensifying. On the other hand, water has a great potential to generate cooperation, economic development, social cohesion and transform communities.

Contribuciones a la paz y la seguridad
With city councillors, Institute for Legal Research and Advocay for Justice (ILRAJ) conducted preliminary engagements in all target areas, and consequently ILRAJ established a network of survivors and victims of water-related violence, including sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). This network is a space for experience sharing, but also for community members, primarily women and girls, to develop methods and solutions to overcome challenges related to water-related SGBV. ILRAJ has also identified community animators with expertise on sexual health and sexual abuse who they will work with to tackle SGBV and other challenges

Elementos de buenas prácticas reportados

ILRAJ used the Theatre for Development approach, working with community animators to raise awareness on sexual
health, and SGBV in the communities, as well as education campaigns on Sexual Offences legislation, access to justice,
and reporting/referral mechanisms. ILRAJ also facilitated participatory, community-led decision-making, with specific
focus on women’s groups and women-led community-based organisations. This led to gender and conflict-sensitive
determination of final locations of water infrastructure. ILRAJ has drafted the Memoranda of Understanding with the
well owners and FCC, and the kiosk operators, with community stakeholders as witnesses to ensure peace and social
cohesion. ILRAJ simplified relevant provisions of sexual offences legislation, translated these into several local
languages with which they conducted education and information campaigns.

Desafíos reportados

A series of unforeseen obstacles and delays, particularly regarding the procurement process for the construction of the water kiosks. These delays were outside the control of UNCDF Country and Regional Offices but have significantly held up implementation on the ground. As a core aspect of the overall intervention, other activities have been impacted also, most especially the training of the women kiosk operators.

Lista de Verificación
Evaluación de impacto ambiental: se ha identificado un impacto positivo en el medio ambiente
Evaluación del impacto en la paz y la seguridad: se ha identificado un impacto positivo en la paz y la seguridad.
Consultation of peace & security expert
Conflict analysis
Participación de la comunidad
Gender and inclusive programming
Sostenibilidad en caso de aumento de la violencia

Detalles prácticos de implementación.


The business cases and plans developed with and for the women who will manage the water kiosks will include cost recovery and maintenance, and provide sufficient incentives for vendors to guarantee continuous operation. Additionally, the kiosks use solar energy to remove the relience on fuel for generators.

Método de seguimiento de los impactos ambientales y de paz.

The Project Review Board will be in charge of overall programme oversight. The Board will hold regular meetings to discuss the programme implementation and assess its progress. Baseline and endline studies are conducted by WANEP and ILRAJ through community surveys, water inventories, and key informant interviews. Finally, the project will be evaluated by PBSO as part of a cohort evaluation of GYPIs.

The project includes a knowledge building component on the contribution of women empowerment to social cohesion and peace in the water sector. Specific social cohesion and peace indicators are included and baseline surveys are conducted with residents to measure these outcomes. The ILO methodology on how to design, monitor, and evaluate peacebuilding results in employment programmes is adapted. The first survey serves as a baseline at the beginning of the project. The second and third ones provide information on indicators related to the process (how well the plannde activities are implemented) and results (if the project is achieving its goals) and inform decision-making to improve the interventions.