Building with the Community: Engineering projects to meet the needs of both men and women

Engineers and technicians working on development projects are becoming more aware of the need for the participation of local people, and that women, in particular, should be involved closely at all stages of the project cycle. This booklet sets out why engineers should involve both men and women in infrastructure projects and why women's participation has a special emphasis. It introduces ways in which engineers and technicians can ensure their projects focus on the needs of men and women. Although many people working on development projects will be aware of these issues, others may not be. As well as providing an introduction for engineers and technicians who have not covered some of the social issues before, this booklet is also useful for managers who do understand the issues but are seeking ways to tackle these, or for those who wish to explain the problems and solutions to their colleagues. This book is one of the outputs from a Knowledge and Research project funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) of the British Government.