Why Women and Girls Bear the Burden of Water Fetching
In the majority of households worldwide with no access to water supplies, women and girls are the ones responsible for fetching water, according to a recent report by UNICEF and WHO. This first in-depth analysis of gender inequalities in drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in households sheds light on the disproportionate burden placed on women and girls, who not only spend more time collecting water but also face safety and health risks in the process.
Fetching water takes time away from other important activities, such as education, work, and leisure, for both women and girls. This puts them at a disadvantage, as education and economic opportunities are compromised. Furthermore, the long journeys women and girls have to make to collect water put them at risk of physical injury and danger. Every step they take to collect water is a step away from learning, playing, and safety.
The report highlights that globally, 1.8 billion people live in households without on-site water supply. Among these households, women and girls aged 15 and over are primarily responsible for water collection in 7 out of 10 cases, whereas their male counterparts bear this responsibility in only 3 out of 10 households. Even girls under the age of 15 are more likely to fetch water compared to boys of the same age. This unequal burden not only hampers women and girls’ personal growth and well-being but also perpetuates cycles of poverty.
In addition to the unequal burden of water collection, the report also exposes the challenges women and girls face in accessing safe and private sanitation facilities. More than half a billion people still share sanitary facilities with other households, compromising privacy, dignity, and security, especially for women and girls. Surveys from 22 countries reveal that when households share bathrooms, women and girls are more likely to feel unsafe walking alone at night and face sexual harassment and other safety risks. Moreover, inadequate WASH services increase health risks for women and girls and limit their ability to manage menstrual hygiene safely and privately.
These gender inequalities in WASH have far-reaching consequences for the well-being and empowerment of women and girls. Lack of access to hygiene disproportionately affects them, as they are often responsible for household chores and caregiving, exposing them to disease and other health risks without the protection of proper handwashing. The extra time spent on housework can also hinder girls’ educational attainment and economic opportunities.
While there has been some progress in improving access to WASH services, achieving the Sustainable Development Goal target of universal access by 2030 requires a significant increase in the current rates of progress. Efforts must be made to integrate gender considerations into WASH programs and policies, collect and analyze disaggregated data, and develop targeted interventions that address the specific needs of women and girls and other vulnerable groups.
In conclusion, the burden of fetching water falls disproportionately on women and girls in households without water supplies, impacting their education, work, safety, and overall well-being. Gender inequalities in WASH also extend to the lack of safe and private sanitation facilities, which further compromises women and girls’ rights, dignity, and health. To achieve universal access to water, sanitation, and hygiene, it is crucial to address these gender disparities and develop inclusive and targeted solutions that empower women and girls and promote their overall well-being and development.
Summary:
According to a report by UNICEF and WHO, women and girls are predominantly responsible for fetching water in households without access to water supplies. This unequal burden of water collection hampers their educational and economic opportunities, puts them at risk of physical injury, and perpetuates cycles of poverty. In addition, women and girls face challenges in accessing safe and private sanitation facilities, compromising their privacy, dignity, and security. These gender inequalities in WASH have far-reaching consequences for women and girls’ well-being and empowerment. Achieving universal access to WASH requires efforts to integrate gender considerations, collect disaggregated data, and develop targeted interventions.
—————————————————-
| Article | Link |
|---|---|
| UK Artful Impressions | Premiere Etsy Store |
| Sponsored Content | View |
| 90’s Rock Band Review | View |
| Ted Lasso’s MacBook Guide | View |
| Nature’s Secret to More Energy | View |
| Ancient Recipe for Weight Loss | View |
| MacBook Air i3 vs i5 | View |
| You Need a VPN in 2023 – Liberty Shield | View |
Women and girls responsible for fetching water in 7 in 10 households with no supplies on the premises, according to the first in-depth analysis of gender inequalities in drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in households
Globally, women are more likely to be responsible for fetching water for households, while girls are almost twice as likely as boys to take responsibility and spend more time doing so each day, according to a new report released today. by UNICEF and WHO.
Progress in drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in households (WASH) 2000-2022: Special focus on gender – which provides the first in-depth analysis of gender inequalities in WASH – also notes that women and girls are more likely to feel unsafe using a toilet outside the home and disproportionately feel the impact of poor hygiene .
“Every step a girl takes to collect water is a step away from learning, playing and safety,” said Cecilia Sharp, UNICEF Director of WASH and CEED. “Unsafe water, toilets and handwashing at home deprive girls of their potential, compromise their well-being and perpetuate cycles of poverty. Responding to the needs of girls in the design and implementation of WASH programs is critical to achieving universal access to water and sanitation and achieving gender equality and empowerment.”
According to the report, globally, 1.8 billion people live in households with no on-site water supply. Women and girls aged 15 and over are primarily responsible for water collection in 7 in 10 such households, compared to 3 in 10 households for their male counterparts. Girls under 15 (7%) are also more likely than boys under 15 (4%) to fetch water. In most cases, women and girls make longer journeys to collect it, wasting time on education, work and leisure, and putting themselves at risk of physical injury and danger along the way.
The report also shows that more than half a billion people still share sanitary facilities with other households, compromising the privacy, dignity and security of women and girls. For example, recent surveys from 22 countries show that among households with shared bathrooms, women and girls are more likely than men and boys to feel unsafe walking alone at night and face sexual harassment and other safety risks. .
In addition, inadequate WASH services increase the health risks for women and girls and limit their ability to manage their periods safely and privately. Among the 51 countries with available data, women and adolescent girls from the poorest households and people with disabilities are the most likely to lack a private place to wash and change.
“The most recent data from the WHO shows a stark reality: 1.4 million lives are lost every year due to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene,” said Dr. Maria Neira, Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and WHO Health. “Women and girls not only face WASH-related infectious diseases, such as diarrhea and acute respiratory infections, but also face additional health risks because they are vulnerable to harassment, violence and injury when they have to leave home to carry water or simply to use the bathroom.”
The findings continue to show that lack of access to hygiene also disproportionately affects women and girls. In many countries, women and girls are primarily responsible for household chores and caring for others, including cleaning, preparing food and caring for the sick, which is likely to expose them to disease and other risks to their lives. your health without the protection of hand washing. The extra time spent on housework can also limit girls’ chances of completing secondary school and getting a job.
Today, around 2.2 billion people, or 1 in 4, still lack safely managed drinking water at home and 3.4 billion people, or 2 in 5, do not have safely managed sanitation. About 2 billion people, or 1 in 4, cannot wash their hands with soap and water at home.
The report notes some progress towards achieving universal access to WASH. Between 2015 and 2022, household access to safely managed drinking water increased from 69% to 73%; safely managed sanitation increased from 49 to 57%; and basic hygiene services increased from 67 to 75%.
But achieving the Sustainable Development Goal target of universal access to safely managed drinking water, sanitation and basic hygiene services by 2030 will require a sixfold increase in current rates of progress in safely managed drinking water, 5-fold in safely managed drinking water. sanitation and triple basic hygiene services.
More efforts are needed to ensure that WASH progress contributes to gender equality, including integrating gender considerations into WASH programs and policies and disaggregated data collection and analysis, to inform targeted interventions that address specific needs. of women and girls and other vulnerable groups.
Notes to editors:
The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) report – Progress on safe drinking water, sanitation and household hygiene 2000-2022: Special focus on gender – collects data on global progress towards achieving the universal access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), including emerging data on health and menstrual hygiene. For the first time, the report provides an in-depth analysis of gender inequalities, highlighting the risks women and girls face due to inadequate access to safe WASH in those countries for which national statistics are available.
Access the report and data here.
download media here.
About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. In more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for all.
To learn more about UNICEF and its work, visit: www.unicef.org
Follow UNICEF on Twitter, Facebook, instagram and Youtube
About who
Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere the same chance for a safe and healthy life. We are the UN health agency connecting nations, partners and people on the front lines in more than 150 locations, leading the global response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health problems and expanding access. to medicines and medical care. Our mission is to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable.
Visit www.who.int and follow the WHO on Twitter, Facebook, instagram, LinkedIn, Tik Tok, pinterest, Snapchat, Youtube.
About JMP
The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene is responsible for monitoring global progress towards the targets and indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). The JMP produces national, regional and global estimates of WASH progress in homes, schools and health facilities.
—————————————————-