Providing evidence, methods, frameworks and debate to support improved gender and inclusion both within and through WASH.
Our work provides evidence and frameworks to support improved gender equality and inclusion within and through WASH programs and initiatives.
We promote consideration of power, culture and drivers of disadvantage and discrimination, leading to more equitable WASH services and associated gender equality and inclusion outcomes.
Foundational Training on Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion for Water.org
PROJECT | 2025
This project designed and delivered a two-part training program on gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) for Water.org staff across their global teams. The program built a shared understanding of GEDSI principles and strengthened staff capacity to apply these principles in both workplace practices and programming.
Through interactive discussions and case-based exercises, participants explored key barriers to inclusion, reflected on organisational practices, and identified practical actions to strengthen gender-equitable approaches. This included applying the GEDSI spectrum to assess current programming, identifying how women and marginalised groups may be excluded across financial and program processes, and developing strategies to design more inclusive financial products, partnerships, and monitoring systems.
The training engaged over 130 staff across 11 country offices and catalysed organisation-wide dialogue on gender equity, generating actionable ideas to strengthen inclusive workplace practices, enhance partner engagement, and embed GEDSI considerations more systematically in Water.org programs.
“The process of designing the course with ISF was genuinely collaborative and felt like a mentoring journey that strengthened our own awareness and left us with practical insights we’re already using.” – Water.Org
“The training sparked real dialogue across teams and has been an important step in shifting how we address gender equality.” – Water.Org
Researchers: Diana Gonzalez Botero, Avni Kumar, Georgina Robinson, Melita Grant
Client: Water.org
Assessing women’s empowerment through water and sanitation programs in Uganda
PROJECT | 2025-2026
This study aims to investigate how Water.org’s water and sanitation microloan program contributes to women's economic empowerment in the context of Uganda. Along with the economic impacts of water and sanitation loans on women borrowers, the study also explores broader dimensions of empowerment experienced by women including aspects related to self-confidence, decision-making, critical consciousness and prevailing gender norms.
Researchers: Avni Kumar, Melita Grant
Client: Water.org
UNICEF EAPRO partnership
PROJECT | 2023-2025
UTS-ISF is working with UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office and country offices in the region to jointly build knowledge to inform climate resilient, safely-managed WASH services, including a focus on gender, inclusion, rights and accountability.
Location: Asia-Pacific region
Client: UNICEF
Gender integration in sanitation policy and programming: A rapid review
PROJECT | 2022-2023
This review brought together the latest evidence, thinking and practice on gender integration in sanitation for WaterAid and the wider sector. Drawing on cases from across Asia and Africa, and guided by a published conceptual framework on gender-integration in WASH, the review highlighted eight characteristics of good practice and identified key policy changes needed at the global, national and subnational level to strengthen gender integration in the sanitation sector. The review report provides insight into the varied entry points for practitioners working on sanitation through illustrations of gender sensitive, gender responsive and gender transformative practice.
Client: WaterAid
Researchers: Avni Kumar, Juliet Willetts, Jess MacArthur
Research outputs
Strengthening gender integration in sanitation programming and policy: Insights from literature and practice (2023) (Report)
Transformative leadership for inclusive WASH in Bhutan
PROJECT | 2021-2022
This multi-partner project led by SNV in Bhutan aimed to address sectoral needs, including, increasing investment in women’s leadership skills, establishing networks and collective action, and working with men to increase women’s voice and influence in the WASH sector.
UTS-ISF led the action research and impact assessment activities which included partnership reflection and learning, and assessing outcomes for project participants.
Client: SNV Netherlands Development Organisation
Researchers: Diana Gonzalez Botero, Naomi Carrard
Research outputs
Strengthening transformative leadership for inclusive WASH in Bhutan (Report)
Urban water guide
PROJECT | 2021-2022
Urban water managers globally are now rethinking how to tackle water management issues, especially in light of climate change impacts on water systems and communities. This Guide, led by the CRC for Water Sensitive Cities and the Institute for Sustainable Futures, outlines key principles and considerations for developing integrated and inclusive approaches to managing water, energy and nutrient resources for low-energy and nature-based solutions.
Client: Australian Water Partnership (AWP)
Researchers: Melita Grant
Research outputs
Urban WaterGuide: A guide for building sustainable and resilient cities (2022) (Report)
The Australian Water Partnership (Publications)
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Partnerships for Transformation
PROJECT | 2018-2022
Following three years of research in Indonesia and Timor-Leste, and a six-month collective learning process on WASH transformative partnerships, the Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) and partners developed a guidance on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and rights holders partnerships. This guidance offers insights into effective partnerships between WASH sector organisations and rights holder organisations (RHOs). It provides practical recommendations for effective collaboration in all types of partnerships and is designed to support organisations looking to begin, build or strengthen partnerships to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
Location: Timor-Leste, Indonesia
Client: Water for Women funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
Wider program: Water for Women Fund
Researchers: Melita Grant
Research outputs
Partnerships for Transformation: Guidance for WASH and Rights Holder Organisations (2022) (Guide)
Amplifying the voices of professionals in lower- and middle-income countries
PROJECT | 2021-2022
ISF has developed a guidance note to improve awareness of issues in recognition in authorship, and outlines principles and practices that elevate voices from lower- and middle-income countries in knowledge production.
Pacific health and sanitation solutions
PROJECT | 2022-2025
This project aims to support improved access to safe, climate-resilient water and sanitation services in vulnerable and remote Pacific Island communities in Kiribati and Solomon Islands.
Inclusive WASH Workplaces
PROJECT | 2021
When considering gender equality, disability and social inclusion in WASH, we need to look at both the people who are benefiting from and managing WASH systems, and the institutions that shape and deliver WASH services.
Exploring GESI Change qualKit
PROJECT | 2021
ISF and Water for Women produced an online tool to build the WASH sector’s capacity to monitor and evaluate gender and inclusion within their work.
Gender in WASH partnerships, workforce and impact assessment - Water for Women
PROJECT | 2018-2021
Provides a strengthened evidence base on partnerships with gender and women’s rights organisations as well as gender equality in WASH workforce development.
Review of WaterAid’s gender manual
PROJECT | 2018 – 2019
ISF led a review of the implementation of WaterAid’s gender manual and facilitated sessions to support their ongoing programs under the Water for Women Fund and beyond.
Location: Timor-Leste
Client: WaterAid
Wider program: Water for Women Fund
Researchers: Melita Grant, Juliet Willetts, Tamara Megaw
Research outputs
Review of the implementation of WaterAid’s gender manual and facilitated sessions in Timor-Leste (2019) (Report)
Gender transformative leadership in WASH during the COVID-19 pandemic
PROJECT | 2020-2021
ISF is the research and learning partner in SNV Netherlands Development Organisation’s 'Beyond the Finish Line' program (part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Water for Women Fund).
Beyond the Finish Line seeks to achieve equitable and universal access to safely managed sanitation and hygiene in seven districts in Bhutan and Lao PDR, and to strengthen the sustainability and resilience of rural water supply services in two districts in Nepal.
As part of the Beyond the Finish Line program, this project aimed to explore how WASH sector leaders have responded in this challenging time of COVID-19 to both ensure the needs of marginalised and vulnerable groups were represented and heard, and found ways to transform personal perspectives, norms, and systemic patterns towards gender equality.
Location: Bhutan, Laos PDR, Nepal
Client: SNV Netherlands Development Organisation
Wider program: Water for Women Fund
Researchers: Naomi Carrard, Diana Gonzalez Botero, Juliet Willetts
Research outputs
Gender transformative leadership in WASH during the COVID-19 pandemic (2021) (Learning brief)
Seven short video stories from gender transformative leaders in Bhutan, Lao PDR and Nepal (2021) (Video stories)
Gender transformative leadership in WASH during the COVID-19 pandemic (2021) (Visual report)
Stockholm World Water Week 2021 session – Leading for Leaving No One Behind: It’s time to reset! (2021) (Presentation)
Stockholm World Water Week 2021 session - Gender transformative leadership in WASH: voices from Asia (2021) (Presentation)
Gender Transformative Social Accountability in WASH
PROJECT | 2018-2021
Explores social accountability in the context of inclusive WASH, with a focus on improving water service levels in rural Bangladesh.
Empowerment through rural sanitation partnership with Vietnam Women's Union
PROJECT | 2017-2019
In Vietnam, East Meets West Foundation partnered with the Viet Nam Women’s Union (VWU) to implement the Community Hygiene Output-Based Aid (CHOBA) program.
This research examined the individual and institutional empowerment outcomes experienced within the VWU through this rural sanitation partnership.
Location: Vietnam
Client: East Meets West Foundation (EMWF)
Researchers: Melita Grant, Juliet Willetts, Caitlin Leahy
Research outputs
Women’s empowerment in Vietnam through rural sanitation partnerships: The Community Based Output-Based Aid Program (CHOBA) (2017) (Report)
Gender equality and inclusion in water resources management
PROJECT | 2017
Internationally, women are more likely to be involved with the gathering of water for their households. Women are also disproportionately affected by the impacts of water scarcity, climate change and natural disasters.
In spite of their unique experiences and valuable perspectives, women's voices are often missing from water management policies and absent from the decision-making process.
Responding to this, ISF developed an ‘Action Piece’ for the Global Water Partnership and broader water resources management sector, outlining the key elements needed to support gender equality and inclusion in water resources management and sectoral water uses (including WASH). The Action Piece demystifies how organisations can take initial and necessary steps towards increasing gender equality.
Location: Global
Client: Global Water Partnership
Researchers: Melita Grant, Janina Murta
Research outputs
Gender Equality and Inclusion in Water Resources Management: Action Piece (2017) (Action Piece)
Impact assessment of gender and WASH monitoring tool in Vietnam
PROJECT | 2015-2016
When women and men are equally involved in WASH programs, the programs are not only more effective and sustainable, but they can also contribute to gender equality outcomes.
Monitoring tools can assist in both tracking progress as well as making space for women and men to explore gender roles.
ISF partnered with Plan International Australia and Vietnam to examine their impact of the Gender and WASH Monitoring Tool on achievement of strategic gender outcomes in central Vietnam.
Location: Vietnam
Client: Plan International Australia
Partner: Plan International
Researchers: Keren Winterford, Juliet Willetts, Caitlin Leahy
Research outputs
From practical to strategic changes: Strengthening gender in WASH - Research report (2016) (Report)
Innovation in WASH and Gender Monitoring: Towards strategic gender outcomes and equitable services (2016) (Conference Poster)
Gender and SDG 6: the critical connection, a framing paper for the High-Level Panel on Water
PROJECT | 2016
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) present a timely opportunity for all actors, at all levels, to address gender equality.
Inequality, discrimination and social exclusion can be found within water governance and WASH policies, strategies and access to services. Social exclusion which affects women, minorities, disabled persons, older people, sexual minorities and economically disadvantaged people can have adverse effects on an individual's access to appropriate water and sanitation infrastructure.
SDG 6, which calls to "ensure clean access to water and sanitation for all", requires explicit attention to gender equality and social inclusion.
As explored in this framing paper, the High-Level Panel on Water Action Plan can significantly contribute to this agenda. The accompanying background discussion paper synthesises current evidence on gender in relation to SDG 6.
Location: Global
Client: Australian Water Partnership (AWP)
Partner: WaterAid
Researchers: Melita Grant, Juliet Willetts
Research outputs
Gender Equality and Goal 6 – The Critical Connection: An Australian Perspective (2019) (Report)
Gender Equality and Goal 6: The Critical Connection - Discussion Paper (2017) (Report)
Gender and SDG6: The Critical Connection - A Framing Paper for the High-Level Panel on Water (2016) (Report)
Learning for impact in WASH programming: how civil society organisations learn
PROJECT | 2015-2016
Despite the large quantity of information available on good practice in WASH sector, there is a gap in knowing what communications formats work best.
ISF undertook this research for the CS WASH Fund, exploring how civil society organisations learn and improve their WASH programming and practice to align with evidence-based approaches.
The research identified the most preferred and effective communication materials, formats and mechanisms.
Location: Australia, Asia, Pacific, Africa
Clients: Palladium, AusAID // DFAT
Wider program: Civil Society Organisation WASH Fund
Researchers: Melita Grant, Janina Murta, Juliet Willetts
Research outputs
WASH Communication for Maximum Impact (2016) (Webinar)
Civil Society Organisations' Learning for Impact in WASH programming (2016) (Report Summary)
Civil Society Organisations’ Learning for Impact in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Programming (2016) (Report)
Equity in water safety planning
PROJECT | 2015
Working in collaboration with The World Health Organization (WHO), ISF researchers assessed and strengthened practice, outcomes and monitoring of WHO's Water Safety Plan in relation to gender and equity.
This research included four case studies at two urban and two rural WSP sites in the Philippines, Bangladesh and Nepal. A research report synthesises findings from the four sites, and introduces opportunities for better integration of equity into water safety planning. The guide supports comprehensive integration of equity considerations into water safety plans and was launched by WHO, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and ISF on World Water Day in 2019.
Location: Philippines, Bangladesh, Nepal
Client: World Health Organization
Researchers: Keren Winterford, Katie Ross, Juliet Willetts
Research outputs
A guide to equitable water safety planning (2019) (Report)
Water Safety Planning Equity Study: Synthesis Report of Four Case Studies in Asia (2014) (Report)
Inclusive WASH community of practice
PROJECT | 2011-2012
In partnership with the International Women’s Development Agency, ISF led the gender and WASH stream of this Australian WASH reference group initiative, which offered webinars and interactive discussion on inclusion in WASH practice.
Location: Australia, Asia, Pacific
Client: WaterAid
Partner: WaterAid
Wider program: Innovations Fund, AusAid Research for Development Alliance
Researchers: Naomi Carrard, Juliet Willetts
Promoting learning in civil society WASH programming
PROJECT | 2010-2011
ISF worked with WaterAid to design, deliver and document three learning events for the Civil Society WASH Fund (2010–2011) that brought together more than 100 practitioners from 21 countries to share experiences and build expertise on sustainable WASH. The following set of documents provides a snapshot of learning event discussions.
The documents are organised around themes that emerged during the learning events, and selected participant stories provide a taste of the many experiences shared through poster presentations and discussions.
Location: Australia, Asia, Pacific
Client: AusAID // DFAT
Partner: WaterAid
Wider program: Civil Society Organisation WASH Fund
Researcher: Juliet Willetts
Research outputs
Civil Society WASH Learning Fund: Introduction (Report)
Civil Society WASH Learning Fund: Learning for effective WASH (Report)
Civil Society WASH Learning Fund: WASH in challenging urban environments (Report)
Civil Society WASH Learning Fund: WASH in Pacific Island communities (Report)
Civil Society WASH Learning Fund: Menstrual hygiene management (Report)
Civil Society WASH Learning Fund: Strengthening government (Report)
Civil Society WASH Learning Fund: Inclusive WASH – advancing equity and supporting the most vulnerable (Report)
Civil Society WASH Learning Fund: Focus on sanitation and hygiene (Report)
Working effectively with women and men in WASH
PROJECT | 2009-2012
In partnership with the International Women’s Development Agency, Live & Learn Environmental Education Fiji and World Vision Vanuatu, ISF produced a set of guidance materials on how to incorporate gender into WASH initiatives, and to assist practitioners to understand what positive gender outcomes 'look like'. Access these materials at www.genderinpacificwash.info
Location: Fiji, Vanuatu
Clients: AusAID // DFAT, Australian Development Research Award
Partners: International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA), Live & Learn Environmental Education
Wider program: Australian Development Research Award
Researchers: Juliet Willetts, Naomi Carrard
Research outputs
Working effectively with women and men in water, sanitation and hygiene programs - learnings from research on gender outcomes from rural water, sanitation and hygiene projects in Vanuatu and Fiji (2010) (Guide)
Working effectively with women and men in water, sanitation and hygiene programs - Flash cards (2010) (Flash Cards)
Working effectively with women and men in water, sanitation and hygiene programs - Fiji Case Study Snapshot (2010) (Snapshot Case Study)
Working effectively with women and men in water, sanitation and hygiene programs - Vanuatu Case Study Snapshot (2010) (Snapshot Case Study)
How do we better address gender in Pacific water and sanitation initiatives? Fiji Case Study (2009) (Case Study)
How do we better address gender in Pacific water and sanitation initiatives? Vanuatu Case Study (2009) (Case Study)
Gender pacific WASH [Website] (Website)
NGO partnerships in the WASH sector
PROJECT | 2008-2011
Together with the International Water Centre, ISF investigated NGO partnerships, capacity development and state/local government engagement in the WASH sector to inform planning and investment through Australian aid Water and Sanitation Initiative 2008–2011.
Location: Indonesia, Vietnam
Client: AusAID // DFAT
Partner: International Water Centre
Wider program: Water and Sanitation Initiative
Researchers: Juliet Willetts, Naomi Carrard
Research outputs
NGO partnerships and capacity development in the water sanitation and hygiene sector (2008) (Report)