Are you exploring gender equality or social inclusion-related changes associated with WASH programs?

This website shares a curated set of qualitative monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) tools designed for gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) programs. It focuses on remote applications during travel-restricted times. 

Foundations

This qualitative foundations page links to webinar recordings and introduces how project teams might embed qualitative MEL into ongoing learning. Learn more about why qualitative MEL is valuable for exploring complex outcomes, especially those related to GESI change.

Approaches

Our selection of approaches are overarching strategies that can be used to monitor change in WASH programs. They all use qualitative methods. Each approach page includes a step-by-step guide, relevant linked methods, tools and techniques, and resources you will need to use the approach.

view approaches

Techniques and Tools

Our selection of MEL techniques and tools includes activities that can be used within the approaches for example card sorting, ladder activities, designing a theory of change, and analysis techniques. Each includes a step-by-step guide and relevant resources.

view techniques and tools

Inspiration

This selection of case studies provides inspiration to project teams aiming to conduct GESI assessments in their WASH programs. Each case study details the approaches, tools and techniques used, the assessment objective, and key findings.

view INSPIRATION

About this project

This project is supported by the Australian Government Water for Women Fund and implemented by the Institute for Sustainable Development, University of Technology Sydney. Water for Women is the Australian Government’s flagship WASH program and is being delivered as part of Australia’s aid program, investing 118.9 million over five years from 2018 to 2022.

Measuring changes in gender equality – including changes in social norms, structures, empowerment and agency – is a complex and long-term undertaking.

Yet, measuring gender change is critical in understanding the impacts of WASH on gender equality and the experiences of women, girls, and other vulnerable groups.

This website includes inputs from a COVID-19 remote monitoring initiative and a broader Gender in WASH Water for Women research grant including Jess MacArthur’s doctoral research.

  • The doctoral research initiative aims to develop, pilot, and assess innovative qualitative approaches to explore changes in gender equality for staff members of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs.
  • The COVID-19 initiative aims to curate, refine and share qualitative research approaches to explore changes in gender equality for agents of change (stakeholders) in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs.

Learn more in the research summary for this project. 

About ISF

The UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures works with industry, government and civil society organisations to create change towards sustainable futures through research and partnerships.

For over two decades our work has supported better water and sanitation policy, advocacy, and practice in developing countries.

We are Asia-Pacific experts with 20 years’ experience working across urban and rural areas in countries within our region. Our WASH expertise further benefits from our position in an institute at the forefront of research into global water systems, energy, resource futures and climate change.

Learn more about our wider programs of WASH and development-focused research.

Project team

Jess MacArthur

Jess MacArthur

Research Consultant and Doctoral Candidate
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Melita Grant

Melita Grant

Research Director
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Naomi Carrard

Naomi Carrard

Research Director
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Professor Juliet Willetts

Professor Juliet Willetts

Research Director
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Report an issue

Is something in the qualKit not working as anticipated?

Please let us know! jessica.macarthur@uts.edu.au

DISCLAIMER 

This project has been funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The views expressed in this website are the author’s alone and are not necessarily the views of the Australian Government.