For women – the water crisis is personal. The lack of access to water affects women and girls adversely. No group has been affected to the extent of women and girls in developing countries.
Globally, women and young girls are the main water collectors for their families. They spend more than four hours walking for water every day, averaging 3.7 miles per trip.
On these trips, they collect and carry five gallons of water, weighing around 40 pounds. Carrying heavy water containers leads to physical health issues, including pelvic deformities which result in childbirth complications for these women and young girls.
200 million women and girls have to walk for water to drink and cook with. They also sacrifice their sanitation and hygiene in finding a safe place to defecate daily. With these tasks, women and young girls are left with almost no time to work or go to school.
The lack of toilets within schools located in developing counties cause girls who hit puberty to miss a week of school or drop out. Many girls do not finish school, which leads to about two-thirds of all illiterate adults to be women; boys are not given the same gendered responsibilities.
Having access to safe water and the accessibility of toilets at home empower women and young girls. No longer burdened by the crisis of water, they become empowered to change their world.
“The human right of access to clean water, close to home, can unlock a woman’s potential – economically, educationally, and socially," wrote Jane Wilbur in the Water for Women report.
No longer would women and girls have to face unsafe situations when walking to distant sources for water. Young girls can spend their days in school receiving an education rather than walking long distances as part of their daily chores.
A 15 minute reduction in water collection time increases proportion of girls attending school by 8-12 percent. Clean water as a human right provides women and girls with the ability to flourish and fulfill their potential.
Water-related projects are 6-7 times more effective when women are involved. That is why Water Woman, an educational, non-profit program, has a female superhero. Her purpose is to educate children everywhere about the global water crisis.
For much of the world, access to safe drinking water is a daily struggle. All people and places are currently faced with major challenges for water sustainability.
There are water-related problems in the area you live - even if clean water flows from the faucet of your sink. Educate yourself and your children with Water Woman today.
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