Work of Woman

Throughout the world, the collection, transportation and management of household water is overwhelmingly a job for women and girls. In some areas of Africa, women spend up to six or seven hours a day collecting and transporting water for household use. This role is theirs even when they are tired, sick or burdened with many other responsibilities. Devoting this amount of time to water collection-what is almost a normal work day for many women in the developed world-means they are taking this time away from tasks that could contribute to income generation, food production and self- and community improvement. They must also use up energy and calories on this labor, often when they are under-nourished or in poor health. Finally, the daily toil of traveling long distances for water, often at dawn and dusk, make them vulnerable to violence or injury at many points along their travel route and to exploitation at collection points.

The availability of sufficient, good quality water is an essential ingredient to health and a better life for hundreds of thousands of women in poor, rural communities around the world. Without this, human development is impossible.