Quand l’eau cache les dechets: Rôles Féminins et enjeux de Développement dans la cité lacustre de Ganvié au Bénin

This study explores the central role of women in waste management within the floating community of Ganvié, Benin, highlighting the environmental, social, and gender-related challenges they face. In the absence of formal waste management systems, women take on a disproportionate responsibility for the daily maintenance of their living environment. Through informal and innovative practices such as domestic recycling, water hyacinth transformation, and collective waste management, they develop locally adapted solutions. However, despite their crucial role, these practices remain invisible and unrecognized in public policies and development frameworks. The study advocates for more inclusive territorial governance that values women’s knowledge and contributions, integrating them into decision-making processes related to environmental management. Offering concrete suggestions for gender-sensitive, sustainable development, the research emphasizes the need for equitable approaches to waste management in Ganvié.