FIU to celebrate women, water on World Water Day March 21

The role women play in the sustainability of water resources management is often overlooked — a reality that will be explored during an FIU panel discussion March 21.

FIU’s Global Water for Sustainability Program (GLOWS) and the Women’s Studies Center are coming together to present “Women and Water: The Role of Gender Equality in Defining Sustainability of Water Resources Management” at 3 p.m. in the Rafael Diaz-Balart Hall (RDB-1000) in the College of Law on the Modesto A. Maidique Campus. The event, which celebrates both World Water Day 2013 and Women’s History Month, is free and open to the public.

“In many societies – especially in the developing world – women bear the responsibility for household water supply and related tasks, like food production, cleaning, washing and waste disposal,” said Ryan Stoa, GLOWS program executive officer. “At this exciting, global event, FIU will bring today’s leading thinkers and practitioners together to expose and debate key challenges of integrated water resources management, with an eye towards the role of women in ensuring sustainability.”

World Water Day is celebrated annually. It was established in 1993 by the United Nations (UN) to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. The UN General Assembly declared 2013 the International Year of Water Cooperation. Water cooperation efforts aim to guarantee that water resources are managed in a sustainable manner for the benefit of society and the environment. However, cooperation efforts often overlook the central role women play in the provision, management, and safeguarding of water.

The panel will feature both FIU experts and members of the community, including: Suzanna Rose, executive director of the School of Integrated Science and Humanity; Maria Donoso, director of the Global Water for Sustainability Program; Purnima Madhivanan, associate professor, Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work; Melissa Luttrell, assistant professor, College of Law; and Marlene Bastien, executive director, Fanm Ayisyen Nan Miyami, Inc. (FANM)/Haitian Women of Miami.