WATER IS LIFE
In many poor and developing countries, including Uganda, more than 50% of the
women spend as much as half of the daylight hours of every day of their lives
on 4 tasks - fetching water, fetching firewood, fetching food and cooking.
Tradition continues to place the responsibility for finding and collecting
water for their families squarely on the shoulders of the females. They walk
long distances, wait for hours in long queues and carry heavy water containers.
The work is backbreaking and all consuming. Often, because of the long distances, many
choose to fetch water from a closer but unsafe source, and consequently suffer
numerous and sometimes deadly, water borne illnesses. Additionally, many women
are sexually assaulted as they fetch water far from their homes in the early
morning or late evening hours.
Once they are old enough, girls join this effort and begin
to suffer the same physical, sexual and psychological assaults. They, like
their mothers begin to spend countless hours trying to provide this basic life
necessity.
The number of hours spent by women and children, mostly
girls, fetching water and firewood distorts their entire lives. It deprives them of the opportunities to do
other things that could benefit and improve their lives, their families and
their communities, such as education and income-producing activities; and more
importantly for the mothers, the opportunity to spend more time rearing their
children.
Additionally, the women, much more so than the men, suffer from
the lack of adequate sanitation; the often unspoken part of the water and
sanitation crisis. The sanitation crisis for women can be summed up in one word,
‘dignity’. Around the world, fewer than one person in three has access to a
toilet. This impacts health and puts their safety at risk. About half of all
girls worldwide attend schools without toilets. This lack of privacy causes
many girls to drop out of school when they reach puberty.
The dual aspects of the water crisis – lack of water and
lack of sanitation – lock women in a cycle of poverty. If they cannot attend
school, they cannot earn a decent income.
There is also an often overlooked correlation between school attendance
and pregnancy. Girls that stay in school
are far less likely to become pregnant.
With safe water and proper sanitation facilities, the
possibilities are truly life saving
and life changing:
·
Increased school attendance, level of
education and literacy rates.
· Reduced child and maternal mortality as a result
of access to safe water, sanitation facilities and improved hygiene during
childbirth.
·
Increased dignity and reduced psychological
stress when symptoms associated with
menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth can be managed discreetly.
·
Reduced physical injury from constant lifting
and carrying heavy loads of water.
·
Reduced risk of rape and sexual assault.
·
Increased recognition of women as having skills
and knowledge outside their traditional roles.
·
Strengthened voice for women in their families
and communities to negotiate their own needs.
·
New opportunities for women’s employment as well
as greater autonomy and independence.
