World Water Day 2026: Ruhrverband draws attention to unequal resource sharing

Water is the basis of life for all people, but access to water is unequally distributed in many places. The Ruhrverband points this out on the upcoming World Water Day (22 March 2026), which the United Nations has placed under the motto "Where water flows, equality grows". Numerous studies(https://www.unwater.org/water-facts/water-and-gender) show that women and girls are disproportionately affected by violations of the human right to water. In many regions of the world, providing water for the family is a woman's responsibility, and the lack of water due to climate change exacerbates structural problems such as poorer educational and employment opportunities, greater health and safety risks and a lack of participation. 

The Ruhrverband is therefore linking World Water Day 2026 with a clear commitment: sustainable water management and equality belong together - globally, nationally and at home. Because even if everyone in Germany formally has equal physical access to clean water and sanitation, structural inequality between the sexes has an impact in the context of resource justice. This was recognised just last year by the German government's Fourth Gender Equality Report "Equality in the socio-ecological transformation". And climate change is a key driver of inequality not only globally, but also in Germany. 

Example of underrepresentation: The water industry in Germany is still a male-dominated field, and women are outnumbered, especially in industrial and technical professions. This also applies to management levels, political bodies and official structures in which decisions are made about water infrastructure, pricing or climate-friendly urban redevelopment. As a result, the perspectives of women and other groups affected by structural inequality tend to be less heard in planning and prioritisation, although studies (McKinsey Diversity Matters Report, etc.) show that heterogeneous teams with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives often make better decisions.

Example of poverty: Women in Germany are more at risk of poverty than men - they are more likely to work part-time or in precarious employment, have lower pension entitlements and make up the majority of single parents who are particularly affected by poverty. At the same time, climate change hits people living in poverty harder: they often live in poorly insulated flats that heat up more in summer and in socially deprived neighbourhoods without shady trees, water features and parks. In addition, professions in which little is earned are often particularly exposed to heat, including traditional female professions such as caring for the elderly and sick, cleaning and catering. Extreme flooding events are also increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change and hit socially vulnerable households without adequate insurance or financial reserves particularly hard. 

Example of care responsibilities: In Germany, women perform significantly more unpaid care work than men. This includes childcare, caring for relatives, household chores and everyday healthcare. Heat stress increases the need for care work because the risk of dehydration (especially among older people and those in need of care), circulatory problems and heat-related hospitalisation increases. This means more private care needs in everyday life as well as a greater burden on professional staff in the care of the elderly and sick, 80 per cent of whom are also female. 

"Equality doesn't happen on its own," emphasises CEO Prof. Christoph Donner on the occasion of World Water Day. "It requires fair opportunities and the willingness to change and actively reorganise structures. We at Ruhrverband are working on this: 
 

• By taking targeted measures to increase the proportion of women in management positions, in the workforce as a whole and among trainees - our skilled workers of tomorrow.
• By continuously improving the energy efficiency of our facilities and supporting our member municipalities in flood protection and climate adaptation measures (keyword: sponge city/sponge forest) so that urban and rural areas remain liveable regardless of income and social status.
• By making our network of dams fit for climate change and thus securing the water supply for current and future generations.
• By seeing our water bodies as local recreational destinations for all age, social and income groups that are accessible to people wherever this is compatible with water management utilisation.
• And by consistently making our water management infrastructure fit for the future - with investments that are distributed across many shoulders in a spirit of solidarity thanks to our cooperative structure."

"Sustainable water management doesn't just start at the source, but in people's minds and structures - including within our Ruhrverband," adds Carolin-Beate Fieback, Head of Human Resources. "Where equality grows, a fairer, more forward-looking and more resilient use of our resources also emerges. This applies to global water issues as well as our day-to-day work. That's why we consciously combine personnel development, equal opportunities and ecological responsibility. By promoting diversity, we are strengthening the sustainability of the water sector."