Understanding the decision-making structures, roles and actions of village-level water committees in Fiji

ABSTRACT

As part of a community-based project on water-related disease in Fiji, we conducted a qualitative study to assess the decision-making structures, roles and actions of village-level water committees. Village water committees played a role in the management, operation and maintenance of water and sanitation infrastructure. Reactive and proactive management approaches were both present. The water committees had clear processes in place for decision-making and membership and were influenced by social and cultural norms. Men dominated water committee membership, roles and decision-making. Knowledge about governance structures and processes can be used to strengthen systems for water committees to effectively manage water access and security.

KEYWORDS:

• Social norms
• natural resources
• watershed
• gender
• Fiji

Acknowledgments

This study would not have been completed without the villages that allowed the authors into their homes and answered their questions. The authors are grateful for the support of the Tailevu and Namosi provincial council offices.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2021.1916449.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Australia [grant number SSHS 74427] under the Stronger Systems for Health Security grant scheme, and by the Bloomberg Philanthropies [grant number 53006] under the Vibrant Oceans Initiative. This research was also performed under a research permit to S.N.