A Deserted Right: Water Scarcity and Women’s Insecurity in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands

Sammanfattning

Water is essential to human life, health, and livelihoods, and access to safe and clean water is recognised as a fundamental human right. Yet water scarcity remains a pressing global challenge affecting billions of people, with women being disproportionately affected. In Kenya, where around 80 percent of the land is classified as arid and semi-arid (ASAL), water scarcity is a persistent and deeply felt reality. Using a qualitative case study approach, this thesis investigates water scarcity in Kenya’s ASALs, examining both its causes and implications for women’s human security. The study draws on thirteen interviews with NGO representatives, a local government official, and women affected by water scarcity, complemented by secondary sources. Further, Amartya Sen’s entitlement approach, human security and feminist political ecology (FPE) act as theoretical frameworks. The findings show that water scarcity in Kenya’s ASALs is severe and multifaceted, shaped not only by limited availability but also by persistent challenges of access, affordability, and quality. Secondly, while environmental and demographic pressures contribute to water scarcity, social, economic, and political factors play a significant role in shaping inadequate access to water. Lastly, patriarchal norms and structures reinforce gender inequalities that cause women to be disproportionately affected by water scarcity, particularly in relation to health, economic, food, and personal security. Together, these findings highlight how water scarcity is produced and experienced in marginalised contexts, and how it is deeply intertwined with gendered and structural inequalities.