1 WASH and Action Campaign Against the COVID-19 pandemic for Khmer Schools, funded by the LIN Center for Community Development and Narrowing the Gap Program (2020-2021)a

The initiative on providing drinking water supply and hand washing systems at two primary and secondary schools in An Cu commune, Tinh Bien district, An Giang province is implemented to address objectives, as follows: • Provide clean water filtration systems (for drinking purposes) and hand washing systems in schools. • Improve knowledge, attitudes and behaviours in schools about using clean water and practicing sanitation to protect health, especially in the COVID-19 epidemic prevention period. • Improve basic human rights, especially children, to access clean water in the school. • Strengthen community capacity for sustainable and efficient use and management of water resources through the reuse of water from hand washing systems for on-campus greenery.

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Gender roles and relationships: Khmer Ethnic Minority women’s participation in water use and management – A case study in O Lam village, Tri Ton district, An Giang province, Vietnam, funded by the SEARCA (Southeast Asian Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture), the Phillipines (2017-2018)

The main aim of the research project is to clarify the linkage between gender and water management as well as women’s participation in decision making process regarding water management in the communities. This research has the following objectives: - To identify the current context of water use and its problems that communities face in dealing with water management and the men and women affected by water use problems in their communities; - To examine how water use relates to men’s and women’s livelihood activities; - To understand the participation, roles and responsibilities of men and women related to water use and the decision making process regarding water management in their communities.

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Empowering Khmer ethnic minority women in rural water supply project in the Vietnam’s Mekong Delta through gender awareness workshops and women’s leadership training, funded by the LIN Center for Community Development and Narrowing the Gap Program (2018-2019)

The project: Empowering Khmer ethnic minority women in rural water supply project in the Vietnam’s Mekong Delta through gender awareness workshops and women’s leadership training (2018-2019) at An Cu commune, Tinh Bien district, An Giang province is implemented to address objectives, as follows: To increase the participation and empowerment of women in water supply projects, which can create opportunities for women to gain access to knowledge, skills and resources. This access can give increase their confidence and capacity, then improve their quality of life in the communities. Involvement by minority women in water supply projects will not automatically empower them to develop and improve their circumstances. Women’s empowerment only occurs when both men and women work together and acknowledge the importance of each other roles and responsibilities, as well as the importance of sharing these roles and responsibilities.

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Domestic Drinking Water Supply: Khmer Ethnic Minority Women’s Participation and Empowerment in Water Management in An Giang province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam, funded by The Australian Embassy in Vietnam (2017)

The project goal is to increase the understanding of how the disadvantaged members in society especially the women, can be empowered throughout the domestic water supply chain. This study will achieve this by incorporating the knowledge, wisdom, input and needs of the women that are expected to influence the decision making process in relation to domestic water supply in Tinh Bien District, An Giang Province. Such a study is expected to enhance gender equality in water service provision and aid sustainable development of water supply projects in these communities and other An Giang rural areas at large. The following objectives of the project is to improve the living environment for 220 households through improved access to clean drinking water services in two communes in Tinh Bien district, An Giang Province (An Cu and An Hao commune). The following specific purposes are: - Examine current status of water use and management in research sites. - Provide hand pumps for ethnic households in the selected area. - Engage and empower women in water management throughout the domestic water supply chain regarding plan, design, implementation and management of water management from hand pumps provision.

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