Data last updated: March 2026
Filter Results
Regions (n)
Size
Type
Sector
Select to hide areas
Share of salaried employees
% of employees that are women   
icon for Female Female icon for Male Male


n = 304
% of engineers that are women  
icon for Female Female icon for Male Male


n = 243
% of managers that are women  
icon for Female Female icon for Male Male


n = 279
The n value indicates the sample size based on the currently selected filters.
Share of Board members and Managing Directors/CEOs
% of Board members that are women  
icon for Female Female icon for Male Male


n = 115
% of Managing Directors/CEOs that are women  
icon for Female Female icon for Male Male


n = 186
The n value indicates the sample size based on the currently selected filters. An n value of (0) indicates that no institution in the Region provided data on the question being asked.
Recruitment, promotion and exit rates
Gender breakup of recent recruits, employees and exit rates
icon for Female Female icon for Male Male

n = 169
% of recent recruits who are female  

n = 169
Gender Breakup of Promotions 
icon for Female Female icon for Male Male

n = 182
The n value indicates the sample size based on the currently selected filters.
Training & Programs
% of institutions offering Technical Training  
 With  Without


n = 283
% of institutions offering Leadership Training  
 With  Without


n = 272
% With Mentorship Programs  
 With  Without


n = 221
The n value indicates the sample size based on the currently selected filters.
Work Environment
% with Separate toilet facilities  
n = 297
% with Childcare facilities  
n = 277
% with Lactation rooms  
n = 279
The n value indicates the sample size based on the currently selected filters.
Workplace Policies
% with gender strategy or target/quota  
 With  Without


n = 248
% with Flexible working arrangements  
 With  Without


n = 277
% with policies to prevent sexual harassment  
 With  Without


n = 281
The n value indicates the sample size based on the currently selected filters.
Data Sources

The database includes original data from the Women in Water Utilities: Breaking Barriers report and new data collected in coordination with World Bank client water institutions using the Equal Aqua HR survey.

Methodology
Database Overview

This database contains data from 304 institutions, both public and private, including Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) and Water Resource Management (WRM) Institutions.

To qualify as private operators, water institutions need to have paid employees. Small Private Water Operators (PWOs), which are usually family-owned, are excluded from the database if they have fewer than 10 employees as they are considered informal firms by ILO standards. .

Definitions

Water or Wastewater/Sanitation Service Providers - WSS

WSSs include institutions that provide water or wastewater/sanitation services such as public utilities, privately owned water operators and local government/ municipal service providers. Institutions must have paid employees. A water institution can be defined as an 'utility', whether it provides only water services, only wastewater or sanitation services, or both.

Water Resource Management institution - WRM

WRMs include irrigation agencies, river basin organizations, dam safety organizations and other water regulatory authorities. Institutions must have paid employees and as such, community-level water user associations, farmers’ organizations, or other types of community-based organizations and committees are not included under the WRM institutions in the Equal Aqua database.

In March 2024, several 'irrigation and land reclamation' institutions were added as state agencies providing irrigation services to farmers under government contract.

Calculation Methodologies

Workforce Composition: Workforce composition (women vs. men) is calculated as the number of women in each category ÷ total in the same category (n). Workforce categories include total employees, licensed engineers, managers at all hierarchical levels, board members, and Managing Directors/CEOs.

Employment Dynamics: Time-based metrics examine 12-month periods. Recent recruit percentages calculate female new hires divided by total new hires. Promotion and exit rate metrics follow identical methodology using the same temporal framework.

Training and Development: Institutional-level calculations measure the number of institutions with programs ÷ total responding institutions (n). Programs include technical training (formal skill development), leadership training (management development), and structured mentorship programs.

Infrastructure Support: Same institutional-level approach measuring methodology applies to gender-separated toilet facilities, childcare support (either on-site or subsidized), and private lactation rooms.

Policy Framework: Institutional assessments covering formal gender strategies/targets/quotas, flexible working arrangements (remote work, flexible hours), and written sexual harassment prevention policies.

Data Quality Considerations

When institutions do not respond to specific HR survey questions reflected in certain indicators, that excludes non-responding institutions from specific metric denominators (n).