Drinking water scarcity is a common experience for people living on Bangladesh’s southwest coast. The causes relate to the complex hydrological setting, with saline intrusion into both surface and groundwater. However, the severity of the water crisis varies from one community to another. The population here is diverse and includes socially disadvantaged people and ethnic minorities who deal with social inequity in every sphere of their lives – access to safe water is no exception.
Featured
Unravelling drought patterns using high-resolution drought datasets
Drought is a complex natural phenomenon with profound impacts on ecosystems, agriculture, water resources, and society as a whole. Understanding drought patterns and trends is crucial for effective water resource management, agricultural planning, and disaster preparedness. In this blog, Dr Solomon Gebrechorkos and Prof. Simon Dadson explore the journey of developing and utilizing high-resolution drought datasets to unlock insights into drought dynamics at local and regional scales.
Professor Katrina Charles features on Vice-Chancellor’s Podcast
Professor Katrina Charles recently featured on the Fire and Wire podcast, hosted by the University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Irene Tracey. This podcast series, now in its second year, explores different aspects of the Oxford community, documenting the diverse...
Water scarcity forcing rural Kenyan women to devise coping mechanisms
In the past few years, most women and youths in Kilifi County have struggled with access to water for diverse activities due to climate change, limited networks, and income. Thus, access to and use of water is often negotiated and shaped by intrahousehold dynamics and government institutions. While women tasked to provide water for their families create networks to sustain access to water and diversify water sources. men move out for better jobs, and youths take up commercial water provision roles.
Fair Water? REACH’s new exhibition at Oxford’s Museum of Natural History
The Fair Water? Exhibition takes its visitors on an immersive journey along a river, from source to mouth, drawing on REACH’s research in Africa and Asia, and weaving in art, digital installations, and specimens from the museum – different sets of tools that engage different parts of our brains…
Pouring hope or pouring doubt – Navigating the aftermath of disasters in coastal Bangladesh
Cyclones and storm surges regularly damage infrastructure in southwest Bangladesh. Afsana Afrin Esha describes how her current research focus is informed by REACH fieldwork to understand how different drinking water technologies are affected.
Policy-makers meet to advance the water security agenda in Kenya
On October 27th, REACH Kenya welcomed Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, Hon. Zachariah Njeru, as the opening speaker at the National Stakeholder Forum on Climate Resilience and Water Security. Governors from Kitui, Marsabit...
Invisibility of the most vulnerable people in water and WASH? – Advancing the Agenda to Leave No One Behind
Extremely vulnerable people are invisible to the broader community and policymakers. They rely on water care from a few, though their basic water needs are not met. This is a challenge that needs to be addressed for truly universal WASH policy design and implementation. Dr Marina Korsenevica shares reflections from the REACH conference panel session on care and dependencies…
Recordings from the REACH International conference 20-22 September now available
The REACH conference "Within REACH: A Water Secure World" took place at Oxford's Sheldonian Theatre and Examination Schools from 20th to 22nd September 2023. An inclusive range of speakers - 50% women, 50% speakers from Africa and Asia, 1/3 early career researchers -...
What can the rural water sector learn from francophone West Africa?
Meleesa Naughton Many countries are looking to expand rural water services and improve service levels for people living in small towns and rural areas by investing in small, decentralised piped water services. Francophone West Africa has a long history of delegating...
