Meaningful waters: women, development, and sustainability along the Bhagirathi Ganges

Abstract

The need for gender inclusion in debates over resource management and sustainability has long been recognized. Academics, environmentalists, and development practitioners, among others, are working to increase awareness of and attention to the gender dimensions of resource concerns around the world. This work has become more critical as development activities and climate change jeopardize access to life-giving sources such as water. While the physical hardships that scarcity exerts on women must be addressed, the nonmaterial implications should not be overlooked. This chapter argues for a broadening of the notion of sustainability to include the continuity of resources and livelihoods as well as the diverse relationships between humans and the environment. Although scholars and activists have made similar calls, I contextualize this argument in debates over the management of the Bhagirathi River, commonly recognized as the primary tributary of the holy Ganges, in the Indian Himalayas. As I show here, a holistic concept of sustainability opens up a range of possibilities for the engagement of gender perspectives on development and ecological change. This can lead to a more nuanced approach to gender inclusive collaboration in environmental praxis.