-Summary:

• Background and rationale:

The water sector is at the heart of poverty alleviation and socio-economic development in developing countries in general, and Ethiopia in particular. Growing urbanization, rising incomes and increasing industrialization have increased the demand for clean water. On the supply side, there are constraints due in part to climate change, so there is competition for this resource. Water has remained a priority sector for the government over the past three decades, with the emphasis on water for domestic services. As a result, the water, sanitation and hygiene sub-sector has received comparatively more attention from the Ethiopian government and its development partners. Although significant progress has been made in the area of water, sanitation and hygiene, this sub-sector remains a matter of concern. Ethiopia and its citizens continue to face multiple water-related challenges. With an estimated population of 5.4 million, Addis Ababa is the country's largest city.   It is the political, cultural and economic capital of Ethiopia.  Compared to other parts of the country, the people of Addis Ababa seem to have better access to drinking water. According to some reports, the rate of access to drinking water in Addis Ababa is over 95%, while the national average is around 50%.  However, with the geographical expansion of the city, the development of improved houses that consume greater quantities of water, and the expansion of industry and the service sector, access to water is becoming increasingly limited. 
In this study, we argue that being connected to the Addis Ababa water network does not in itself guarantee access to water. Households' access to water is increasingly determined by their economic status (power). Consequently, the problem of unequal access to water in Addis Ababa should be examined within the framework of a political economy approach.  We also argue that the unreliability of water access in Addis Ababa has led to new patterns of water access that reinforce inequality and could have adverse effects on the health and well-being of the city's inhabitants.

• Objective:

 The main objective of the research is to examine what appears to be a growing inequality of access to water in Addis Ababa using a multidisciplinary approach. A better understanding of the growing inequality of water access in the city will contribute to the development of sustainable and social justice-based water resource management strategies in Addis Ababa.

• Main methods:

The study will be multidisciplinary, involving a number of disciplines including economics, geography, political science and health. In terms of data, we will use both primary and secondary data. Primary data will be collected through a survey of selected households, key informant interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs).  Secondary data consists of published and unpublished literature, government reports and other sources.