Bridging the Gap: The Crucial Link Between Clean Water Access and Gender Equality
Access to clean water is a fundamental human right, yet in 2022, the UN reported that 2.2 billion people worldwide were still denied this basic necessity. This is why the UN has invested in a target for improving access to clean water and sanitation globally by 2030 with Sustainable Development Goal 6. This goal emphasizes the impact of clean water access on food production, economic growth, and climate change, as well as the overall health and wellness of communities in need. Most notably, however, Goal 6 brings lesser-known social impacts of this issue to light – particularly how a lack of clean water disproportionately burdens women and girls. In conversations surrounding global development, the issues of clean water access and gender equality are often discussed and tackled separately, however, the two are much more connected than what meets the eye, and understanding their relationship is crucial to creating real change.
One way that the absence of clean water unfairly burdens women, is the responsibility placed on them to collect it. In a 2023 publication, the WHO and UNICEF reported that globally, women and girls are responsible for collecting water in seven out of ten households where clean water is not readily available, requiring them to trek long distances to fetch water from potentially contaminated sources. This laborious task not only consumes a significant portion of their free time, but also exposes them to various dangers, such as waterborne diseases and an increased risk of violence.
Additionally, the lack of access to clean water further perpetuates gender disparities in education, with UNICEF estimating that women worldwide spend a collective 200 million hours retrieving water. Consequently, many girls in these communities frequently miss school, falling behind in their studies or being forced to drop out altogether.
A 2023 UNICEF report quotes their Director of WASH Cecilia Sharp, stating, “Every step a girl takes to collect water is a step away from learning, play, and safety. Unsafe water, toilets, and handwashing at home robs girls of their potential, compromises their well-being, and perpetuates cycles of poverty.” Due to this disproportionate burden caused by a lack of clean water, girls in these communities often face career-limiting obstacles in adulthood, further solidifying gender inequality and hindering their ability to break free from the cycle of poverty.
The absence of clean water facilities poses distinct challenges for women's health and hygiene as well. According to the WHO, more than half a billion people worldwide still share sanitation facilities with other households, which greatly compromises the dignity and safety of girls and women, particularly during menstruation. Cultural stigmatization and limited access to feminine hygiene products are already obstacles commonly faced by women worldwide, but with the added stress of a lack of access to improved bathrooms, privacy, or clean water, periods can become unbearable and unsafe. Additionally, in many countries, women are primarily responsible for domestic chores – such as cooking, cleaning, and caretaking – which already causes them to be at a higher risk of disease, especially when coupled with a lack of clean water to wash with.
This is why the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 6 is a pivotal step towards reaching equality in more ways than one. Not only will access to clean water benefit the physical health of the women and girls in these communities, but by removing the burden of water retrieval, they will have equal opportunity for regulated schooling – which is critical for achieving higher education and increased job prospects. Additionally, their overall quality of life will be monumentally improved by the new levels of privacy, safety, and equality that clean water access affords. By viewing the water scarcity crisis through a gendered lens, we will not only improve the health and well-being of communities around the world but also advance gender equality, empowering women and girls as agents of global change.
