Pathways linking WASH access and women's empowerment: Evidence from Zambia and Honduras

Achieving universal access to improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services and facilities is considered essential for gender equality and empowerment, yet empirical evidence of how and what WASH is essential for responding to the challenges of women's gender equality and empowerment in low-income countries is limited. This study analyzes cross-sectional data from Zambia and Honduras to examine the relationship between access to WASH services and women's empowerment, measured by indicators of intrinsic, instrumental, and collective agency. We find significant correlations between access to WASH and women's intrinsic and instrumental agency. This correlation is stronger in Zambia than Honduras, highlighting that relationships are spatially heterogeneous. Notably, we find that households that treat their water are correlated with women's input into agricultural production decisions. These results demonstrate that the relationship between WASH access and women's empowerment is multifaceted, and more evidence is needed to understand underlying mechanisms. • We find significant correlations between access to WASH and women's intrinsic and instrumental agency. • This correlation is stronger in Zambia than Honduras, highlighting that relationships are spatially heterogeneous. • Treating water is correlated with women's perceived self-efficacy and women's input into agricultural production decisions.