India, March 22 -- The 1992 Rio Earth Summit acknowledged women's pivotal role in the provision, management, and safeguarding of water around the world. Over three decades later, women in India remain the unheralded custodians of our water resources, serving as primary collectors, users, and managers for households, livelihoods, and communities. Yet, their voices are absent from water governance.

Water scarcity is a stark reality for a significant portion of India. UNICEF estimates over two-thirds of districts face extreme water depletion, disproportionately affecting women, especially in rural and marginalised areas. The International Development Enterprises estimates that women in India spend 150 million workdays annually fetching wate...