Gender and Social Equity

Ensuring sanitation and hygiene interventions address the specific needs and priorities of women, girls, and other marginalized groups.

Key Questions

  • How do sanitation inadequacies affect women and girls differently?
  • What are the barriers to equitable access to sanitation services?
  • How can interventions be designed to promote gender equity?
  • What role do social norms play in sanitation behavior?

Our Approach

PROMISE integrates gender analysis throughout all research activities. We collect gender-disaggregated data, engage women in participatory design processes, assess menstrual hygiene management needs, and ensure interventions address gender-specific barriers and vulnerabilities.

Active Projects

  • Gender-disaggregated exposure assessment across all countries
  • Menstrual hygiene management in schools and health facilities
  • Participatory design processes centering women’s voices
  • Gender equity integration in WASH FIT implementation

Key Principles

  • Women’s meaningful participation in research design and implementation
  • Gender-specific data collection and analysis
  • Addressing safety and dignity concerns
  • Supporting menstrual hygiene management
  • Challenging harmful gender norms
  • Ensuring equitable access to improved services

By embedding gender considerations from project inception, PROMISE ensures that:

  • Research questions reflect women’s priorities
  • Data reveals gender-specific vulnerabilities
  • Interventions address women’s practical needs
  • Policies promote gender equity
  • Benefits reach women and girls, not just households