Persistence of inequality in access to water: A look at the actions of women in peri-urban territories of the city of El Alto

This article is part of the research carried out in the Señor de Mayo I and San Carlos neighborhoods of district 8 of the city of El Alto, which are part of the peri-urban territories resulting from the accelerated growth of the urban sprawl over the last two decades. Here, the price of land is relatively affordable for the population with a low and unstable household income and the setting is characterized by persistent inequalities and gender roles which mainly affect the lives of migrant women. In this context, the most important issue people face is the lack of access to water services through the mains network, a situation that lasts an average of five years. During this time, women must face and find solutions for the water supply for their families. This article describes the situation of persistent inequality in the assignment of gender roles and the implications for women's lives. In order to collect information, in-depth interviews were used to obtain the rich oral accounts of the actors describing the reality of the peri-urban context in which their constant struggle for access, use and management of water takes place.