Enabling environment for water security: mapping the national and state government institutions in India

Shiny Saha believes that transformation in public services begins when governments and communities see equity not as an add-on, but as the foundation of lasting systems. Over more than a decade, she has returned to the same question: how do we design structures that make inclusion non-negotiable? Her work has shown that when gender equity and social inclusion are built into the DNA of water, sanitation and hygiene systems, reforms not only endure but reshape the way citizens experience governance.

At Riva, Shiny equips stakeholders with the tools to strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene systems in ways that last. She works with government officials, local government representatives, and grassroots organisations to identify bottlenecks, design accountability frameworks, and embed inclusive practices into national and regional strategies. Her focus has been to integrate gender equity into system design, helping institutions move beyond service delivery to create structures that citizens can trust.

Shiny combines deep research expertise with hands-on programme management. She has built capacity for grassroots NGOs, coordinated multi-agency collaborations, authored frameworks for incorporation of Gender Equity and Social Inclusion, and developed approaches to monitor hygiene behaviour. Her distinctive strength lies in bridging the worlds of policy and practice — sparking change while co-creating systems that endure.

Highlights 

• 15+ years of experience in Asia, with country work in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka
• Works with governments, civil society, and international partners
• Coordinates the Agenda for Change India chapter, aligning multiple global organizations
• Designed frameworks to integrate Gender Equity and Social Inclusion into WASH system strengthening
• Co-author of the 2025 learning note on GESI-responsive systems strengthening; 2022 Hand Hygiene monitoring framework for India
• Published on equity, women’s work in the informal economy, governance, and evaluation
• Holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology from the Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi. Completed Term 1 A of a Master’s in Development Studies from the International Institute of Social Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam
• Fluent in English, Hindi, and Bengali