Gender

Poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene has a particularly acute impact on women and girls, affecting their health, dignity and life chances.

International Women's Day 2012

International Women's Day, a day to celebrate and a day to call for more action to free women from poverty and inequality. Water, sanitation and hygiene are key to empowering women, and therefore women are at the heart of everything we do. Find out more in this slideshow.

Health, safety and education

Edwin Siachilles and Irene Sinyenda, V-WASHE vice chairwoman, at the handpump in Zambia.

Credit: WaterAid / Jon Spaull

Without access to sanitation and hygiene women and girls are exposed to infections, a lack of dignity and a higher risk of maternal mortality.

They may face violence, sexual assault and other dangers like snake bites when walking long distances for water or when they can only defecate outside and after dark. Girls often drop out of school when there are no suitable toilets, especially when they reach adolescence and have menstrual hygiene needs.

Time and labour - paid and unpaid

In many societies women and girls are expected to be responsible for collecting water, sanitation and hygiene and to provide care for children and sick or disabled people in their households. They perform most of the unpaid labour associated with water and sanitation, leaving less time for education and paid employment. This perpetuates gender inequality and women's poverty.

Meanwhile women are usually under-represented in paid and professional water and sanitation work. While improved access to water and sanitation has a dramatic affect on women's lives their particular perspectives and needs are often unrecognised by planners and providers.

Marginalisation and lack of power

Women often suffer from discrimination and marginalisation in society. They usually have less control over land and resources and have less access to education than men. This makes it harder for women to get their voices heard and ensure their needs and rights are met. Some groups of women suffer acute discrimination in different countries, for example in many countries widows and older women are particularly stigmatised, sometimes accused of witchcraft and thrown out of their homes. Women's issues like menstrual hygiene are often shrouded in ignorance as the subject is taboo.

Gender sensitive water, sanitation and hygiene programmes

WaterAid's programmes need to address women's immediate practical needs for water, sanitation and improved hygiene. For long term change to have a sustainable impact on health and poverty they should also help address discrimination against women throughout their lives and promote their own control over their living and access to scarce resources. This means empowering women to claim their rights and working with men and women to challenge existing gender inequalities, age based discrimination and social relations.

International Women's Day 2012

International Women's Day, a day to celebrate and a day to call for more action to free women from poverty and inequality. Water, sanitation and hygiene are key to empowering women, and therefore women are at the heart of everything we do. Find out more in this slideshow.