Photo by Anes Sabitovic on Unsplash
Many of us may not realize this, but there is a close connection between women and water, or lack thereof. In fact, in many parts of the world, water has become a very personal crisis for women.
In most areas of the world now experiencing droughts or chronic water shortages, finding water for their families is totally up to them. In many cases, they must walk several miles - and several hours - to find water, often just enough to meet the current day's needs.
According to Water.org, women in such areas of the world as Africa, the Middle East, India, and parts of South America, spend a collective 200 million hours a year gathering water.
Not only is a lot of time and energy involved, but so is money. The rules of supply and demand play a huge role in the cost of water, and when there are droughts, the cost of water is often exorbitant.
So, what happens if there is not enough money to pay for water? Simple, the woman goes home without the necessary water for her family or, at best, an emergency allocation is provided.
But, that's not the only issue. Is the water being collected by these women safe? The water being brought home is not only used for hygiene – cleaning and bathing – but drinking and cooking. However, if safeguards are in place to ensure the water is potable - safe for drinking and cooking – these measures are often minimal at best. This puts many women in a challenging situation: they know there is certain death without water, but all too often, there is possible death with water.
You might ask, where are the men? In most of these areas of the world, gender plays a crucial role as to who does what. If jobs are available, the man works. Or, in more remote regions of the world, the man gathers food, just as they have for thousands of years. The woman must secure water for the family. That is her family role.
This also means, because so much time is spent collecting water, women have no time to find employment, develop a small business, or find some way to make money for their families. The result, all too often, is perpetual poverty. In most areas of the world today, whether they are water-rich or water-poor, two incomes are necessary to lift a family out of poverty.
So, how is this situation being addressed? In some areas of the world, women have developed their own systems. For instance, in India, four women from four different families have divvied up water collection duty. On a rotating basis, two women go out each day to collect water for all four families. The other two women stay home, watching all the children, and some are developing businesses. This type of scenario is becoming very common.
Another option is provided by organizations such as Water.org. This organization is loaning women around the world money, so they can pay to connect to local water systems. This helps eliminate the hours of walking every day for water, often ensures safer water is delivered to these families, and is helping to lift the standard of living for these families.
