Women's Access to Clean Water and Sanitation: A Global Crisis
Access to clean water and sanitation is a fundamental human right. Yet, for millions of women and girls around the world, this right remains out of reach. From rural villages in Sub-Saharan Africa to slums in urban India, the lack of safe water and adequate sanitation poses a serious threat to health, education, safety, and dignity. This article explores the gendered dimensions of the global water crisis and highlights why addressing it is essential to achieving true gender equality.
Why Is Water Access a Women’s Issue?
Women and girls bear the brunt of water scarcity. In many low-income countries, they are primarily responsible for collecting water—often walking several kilometres every day. This not only consumes time but also exposes them to the risk of physical harm and sexual violence.
Moreover, the absence of proper sanitation facilities, especially in schools and workplaces, leads to dropout rates, missed opportunities, and severe health consequences for women during menstruation, pregnancy, and postpartum periods.
The Daily Struggle: Water Collection Burden
According to UNICEF, women and girls spend an estimated 200 million hours every day collecting water. This time could otherwise be used for education, employment, or childcare. The burden is especially harsh in water-scarce regions like Ethiopia, Chad, and parts of rural India.
The physical strain of carrying heavy containers of water daily can result in musculoskeletal injuries, exhaustion, and long-term health issues. In some areas, young girls drop out of school simply to help their mothers manage water-related chores.
Sanitation and Menstrual Hygiene: The Silent Crisis
Inadequate sanitation doesn’t just mean dirty toilets—it often means no toilets at all. For women and girls, especially during menstruation, this leads to shame, embarrassment, and health complications such as urinary tract infections and reproductive health issues.
A lack of privacy for changing menstrual products can prevent girls from attending school. In fact, UNESCO reports that 1 in 10 African girls misses school during menstruation, leading to significant educational gaps between genders.
Link Between Sanitation and Sexual Violence
Women in many parts of the world must venture out at night to relieve themselves due to the lack of private toilets. This exposes them to sexual assault, harassment, and life-threatening danger. Safe sanitation is not just a convenience—it’s protection.
Impact on Maternal and Child Health
During pregnancy and childbirth, access to clean water and sanitation becomes even more crucial. Contaminated water can cause diarrhoeal diseases, which are among the leading causes of maternal and infant mortality in developing nations.
In maternity clinics lacking clean water and hygiene supplies, the risk of infection and complications increases drastically. Every year, nearly 300,000 women die from preventable complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, and poor sanitation is a contributing factor.
Global Statistics That Highlight the Crisis
- Over 2.2 billion people globally lack access to safely managed drinking water.
- More than 4.2 billion lack safely managed sanitation services.
- Women and girls spend 200 million hours collecting water daily.
- 1 in 3 schools lacks basic sanitation facilities, affecting girls' education.
Case Study: India’s Swachh Bharat Mission
Launched in 2014, India’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) aimed to eliminate open defecation and improve sanitation across the country. While the programme built millions of toilets, its success has been mixed. In some areas, toilets are present but lack water or are not used due to cultural beliefs.
Still, the mission brought global attention to the link between sanitation and dignity—especially for women. It sparked conversations around menstrual hygiene, school toilets, and the need for behavioural change alongside infrastructure development.
The Climate Crisis Is Making It Worse
Climate change is intensifying droughts, floods, and water scarcity. Women in vulnerable regions are facing increased hardships as water sources dry up or become contaminated. Rising temperatures also mean higher health risks associated with poor hygiene in these regions.
The Role of Women in Water Governance
Interestingly, when women are given leadership roles in water management, community water systems are more likely to be functional and sustainable. Yet, women are often excluded from decision-making processes regarding water distribution and sanitation planning.
Empowering women as stakeholders and leaders in water governance can lead to more inclusive and effective solutions that meet the needs of entire communities.
Solutions: What Can Be Done?
- Invest in infrastructure: Build sustainable water systems and safe toilets in rural and urban areas.
- Support education: Teach menstrual hygiene management in schools to break the stigma.
- Empower women: Include women in water-related policymaking and management roles.
- Address cultural norms: Run behaviour change campaigns that challenge taboos around hygiene and menstruation.
- Ensure sustainability: Promote water conservation, rainwater harvesting, and climate-resilient systems.
Why Gender Equality Depends on Water Equality
Access to clean water and sanitation is essential for women’s dignity, health, and equal participation in society. Without it, efforts to achieve gender equality are fundamentally incomplete.
Whether it’s a girl who misses school because she can’t manage her period or a woman who loses hours daily fetching water, the impact of water inequality is deeply gendered. Ensuring universal access to water and sanitation isn’t just about pipes and pumps—it’s about justice.
How You Can Help
- Support organisations working on WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) programmes for women and girls.
- Educate your community about the importance of clean water and sanitation as a gender issue.
- Advocate for policy changes that prioritise WASH infrastructure in public spaces, schools, and healthcare centres.
Internal Links You Can Explore:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Why is access to clean water a women's issue?Because women are primarily responsible for water collection in many communities, facing health risks, lost opportunities, and safety concerns.
Q2. How does poor sanitation affect girls’ education?Girls often miss school during menstruation due to lack of facilities, which affects attendance and increases dropout rates.
Q3. What can governments do to improve the situation?Invest in infrastructure, involve women in planning, run awareness campaigns, and ensure maintenance of sanitation systems.
Q4. How is climate change linked to water inequality?Climate change increases droughts and water contamination, worsening scarcity for already vulnerable populations—especially women.
Q5. What is the global goal on water and sanitation?SDG 6 aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.
Tags: Women’s Rights, Clean Water, Sanitation, Gender Equality, Menstrual Hygiene, SDGs