FROM SCARCITY TO EQUITY: THE STRATEGIC ROLE OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN WATER POLICY ANALYSIS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66104/8pqbcz02Keywords:
Social worker; water resources; public policies; markers; indicators.Abstract
Access to water is a fundamental human right, yet it faces challenges that have persisted for centuries. In this context, social workers, acting within communities and public policies, play a strategic role in identifying vulnerabilities, promoting equity, and defending the right to water. This study analyzes the contribution of social workers in the formulation and evaluation of public policies aimed at the sustainable management of water resources, utilizing sociodemographic indicators alongside biological and physicochemical markers. Adopting a qualitative approach, we conducted a systematic literature review across national and international scientific databases, employing PRISMA and PICO methodologies, as well as VOSviewer software for bibliometric mapping. Preliminary results indicate that while Social Work intervention in the water sector still lacks robust theoretical consolidation, it is essential for integrating social dimensions into technical and environmental analyses. Furthermore, the use of indicators and markers proved relevant in drafting more inclusive and sustainable policies, thereby enhancing water security and social well-being. We conclude that strengthening this agenda is indispensable for facing contemporary challenges and ensuring social justice regarding water access.
Downloads
References
ALVIZURI-TINTAYA, P. A.; LOZA-MURGUIA, M. G.; SILVA, M. Study and evaluation of surface water resources affected by ancient and illegal mining in the upper part of the Milluni micro-basin, Bolivia. Resources, v. 11, n. 4, p. 1–15, 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/resources11040036. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/resources11040036
BARDIN, L. Análise de conteúdo. Lisboa: Edições 70, 2011.
BISWAS, S.; HAMADA, H.; BOJESEN-KOEFOED, J. A. Evaluating integrated watershed management using multiple criteria analysis—a case study at Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, v. 184, n. 5, p. 2741–2761, 2012. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2148-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2148-x
COMITÊS PCJ. Relatório síntese: Plano de Recursos Hídricos das Bacias Hidrográficas dos rios Piracicaba, Capivari e Jundiaí. 2021. Disponível em: https://agencia.baciaspcj.org.br/instrumento-de-gesto/relatorios-de-situacoes/. Acesso em: 3 mar. 2026.
CRESWELL, J. W.; CLARK, V. L. P. Pesquisa de métodos mistos. Porto Alegre: Penso Editora, 2015.
DELPLA, I.; PROULX, F.; RODRÍGUEZ, M. J. A methodology to prioritize spatio-temporal monitoring of drinking water quality considering population vulnerability. Journal of Environmental Management, v. 255, p. 109869, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109869. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109869
DORO, K. O.; EHOSIOKE, S.; AIZEBEOKHAI, A. P. Sustainable soil and water resources management in Nigeria: The need for a data-driven policy approach. Sustainability, v. 12, n. 10, p. 4204, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12104204. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12104204
GERTEN, D.; ROST, S.; BLOH, W. VON; LUCHT, W. Causes of change in 20th century global river discharge. Geophysical Research Letters, v. 35, n. 20, 2008. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL035258. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL035258
GLEICK, P. H.; ICELAND, C. Water, security, and conflict. Issue Brief. Washington, DC: World Resource Institute; Pacific Institute, 2018.
GRANGEIRO, E. L. A.; RIBEIRO, M. M. R.; MIRANDA, L. I. B. Integração de políticas públicas no Brasil: o caso dos setores de recursos hídricos, urbano e saneamento. Cadernos Metrópole, v. 22, p. 417–434, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/2236-9996.2020-4801. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/2236-9996.2020-4804
HALE, S. E.; ARSLAN, M.; PITOIS, S. Evaluating nature-based solutions for water management in peri-urban areas. Water, v. 15, n. 5, p. 893, 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/w15050893. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/w15050893
HUTTON, G.; HALLER, L. Evaluation of the costs and benefits of water and sanitation improvements at the global level. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2004.
KOUSHA, K.; THELWALL, M. Google Scholar citations and Google Web/URL citations: A multi-discipline exploratory analysis. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, v. 58, n. 7, p. 1055–1065, 2007. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.20584. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.20584
MARIOSA, D. F.; BENEDICTO, S. C. DE; SUGAHARA, C. R. Study on the sustainable indicators and research methodology in the context of the sustainable development reserve of Tupé, Amazonas-Brazil. Revista de Gestão Ambiental e Sustentabilidade, v. 8, n. 3, p. 443–461, 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5585/geas.v8i3.15585. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5585/geas.v8i3.15756
MARIOSA, D. et al. Territórios vulneráveis e o direito à água nas bacias hidrográficas dos rios Piracicaba, Capivari e Jundiaí. Journal of Environmental Management and Sustainability, v. 13, n. 1, 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5585/2024.23702
MINAYO, M. C. S. O desafio do conhecimento: pesquisa qualitativa em saúde. São Paulo: Hucitec-Abrasco, 1993.
PRÜSS-USTÜN, A. et al. Burden of disease from inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene for selected adverse health outcomes: An updated analysis with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, v. 222, n. 5, p. 765–777, 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.05.004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.05.004
RABELO, I.; LOPES, R. G. C.; PROEZA, T. M. Envolvimento do/a assistente social na temática ambiental: algumas aproximações. Serviço Social & Sociedade, n. 119, p. 533–551, 2014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0101-66282014000300007. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0101-66282014000300007
REYMOND, D. J.; SUDALAIMUTHU, K. Geospatial water quality analysis of downstream of Tamiraparani River–Tamilnadu. Journal of Engineering Research, 2022.
SECCHI, L.; COELHO, F. S.; PIRES, V. Políticas públicas: conceitos, casos práticos, questões de concursos. São Paulo: Cengage Learning, 2019.
SILVA, M. C. O. et al. Estudo da pegada hídrica populacional em região semiárida. Revista Brasileira de Geografia Física, v. 15, n. 1, 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26848/rbgf.v15.1.p297-311
UNITED NATIONS. Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. 2015. Disponível em: https://brasil.un.org/pt-br/91863-agenda-2030-para-o-desenvolvimento-sustent%C3%A1vel. Acesso em: 3 mar. 2026.
VÖRÖSMARTY, C. J. et al. Global threats to human water security and river biodiversity. Nature, v. 467, n. 7315, p. 555–561, 2010. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09440. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature09440
WAKHUNGU, M. J.; DAIGH, A. L. M.; HELMERS, M. J. Geospatial vulnerability framework for identifying water infrastructure inequalities. Journal of Environmental Engineering, v. 147, n. 9, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001903
WARNER, K.; HAMZA, M.; OLIVER-SMITH, A.; RENAUD, F.; JULCA, A. Characteristics of transformational adaptation in climate-land-society interactions. Sustainability, v. 11, n. 2, 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11020356
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Duarcides Ferreira Mariosa, Orandi Mina Falsarella, Camila Bonetti, Brenda Gomes Pereira, Ana Milena Silva Valência
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits the sharing of the work with proper acknowledgment of authorship and initial publication in this journal;
Authors are authorized to enter into separate, additional agreements for the non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in this journal (e.g., posting in an institutional repository or publishing it as a book chapter), provided that authorship and initial publication in this journal are properly acknowledged, and that the work is adapted to the template of the respective repository;
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post and distribute their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their personal websites) at any point before or during the editorial process, as this may lead to productive exchanges and increase the impact and citation of the published work (see The Effect of Open Access);
Authors are responsible for correctly providing their personal information, including name, keywords, abstracts, and other relevant data, thereby defining how they wish to be cited. The journal’s editorial board is not responsible for any errors or inconsistencies in these records.
PRIVACY POLICY
The names and email addresses provided to this journal will be used exclusively for the purposes of this publication and will not be made available for any other purpose or to third parties.
Note: All content of the work is the sole responsibility of the author and the advisor.
