Prefessional women in water the sector have been challenged to be more impactful by offering solutions to challenges fellow women are facing in accessing water and sanitation.

Vice chairperson for African Water and Sanitation-AfWASA Strategic Technological Council Geradine Mpouma Logmo said in Lilongwe at the official launch of Professional Women in Water Sector Network in Malawi that creating impact must be the goal when pushing for leadership positions in the sector.

"Use your expertise to create impact through innovations and push for policies that are reastic in ending the burden your fellow women face to acces water in Malawi and Africa region," she said.

Water and Sanitation minister Abida Mia said implored the women professionals to champion access to information regarding water and sanitation by women in rural communies. 

"There is a lot that needs to be taught and learned on both ends, policies holders and women in rural communities. If the authorities do not know exactly where people are facing difficulties accessing water, it will be difficult to provide realistic solutions hence my plea for the women professionals to champion information access and dissemination," Mia said. 

Chairperson for PROWIWS Malawi Engineer Phideria Clara Moyo said among others, the network provides platform for mentorship and capacity building to women professionals in the water sector. 

"The burden of accessing quality water in the communities is mostly handled by women but when it comes to decision making in resolving the challenges, it is men that are given the positions hence the emergence of the network to push for the numbers of women in top forums framing policies that affect the women," explained Eng Moyo. 

Currently the network in Malawi has a membership of professional women from water utility bodies, state and private insiltitutions involved in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector. 

AFWASA established the network of professional women in the WASH sector to advocate for their increased involvement through empowerment considering that women are the most affected by challenges in the WASH secrot.

Logmo said at the moment women representation in AfWASA is below 30%.