The global water and sanitation crisis disproportionately affects women and girls, magnifying gender inequalities and underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive solutions. In many parts of the world, the responsibility for collecting water falls primarily on women and girls, leading them to spend countless hours each day walking long distances to access often contaminated water sources. This not only deprives them of educational and economic opportunities but also exposes them to various health risks. The lack of safe and private sanitation facilities poses additional challenges, as inadequate infrastructure increases the vulnerability of women and girls to harassment, assault, and other forms of violence.

Moreover, the absence of proper menstrual hygiene management resources further exacerbates these inequalities. Addressing the water and sanitation crisis requires not only infrastructure development but also a gender-sensitive approach that acknowledges and tackles the specific challenges faced by women and girls. By ensuring equal access to clean water and safe sanitation facilities, we can alleviate the burdens that women and girls endure, fostering empowerment, improved health, and enhanced socio-economic prospects for all.

Access to needs like clean water, sanitary conditions, and cleanliness is still hampered by gender discrepancies, which disproportionately affect women and girls worldwide. A large gender gap still exists in these crucial areas, despite improvements, according to the first thorough examination of gender inequalities in drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) inside homes, which was jointly performed by UNICEF and WHO.

Fetching Water: A Barrier to Education and Empowerment

1.8 billion people live in homes without access to water supply worldwide. Surprisingly, 7 out of 10 of these homes rely on girls and women who are at least 15 years old to gather water. They are prevented from engaging in school chances, employment, or leisure activities by this chore, which also exposes them to risks of bodily harm and perils as they travel. Additionally, females under the age of 15 are more likely than men to be responsible for collecting water (7% vs. 4%).

This issue goes beyond the difficulty of collecting water; it also poses a barrier to empowerment, personal development, and education. Every step a girl takes to collect water is a step away from learning, play, and safety, as Cecilia Sharp, UNICEF Director of WASH and CEED, succinctly emphasises.

The report's conclusions also highlight the problematic state of communal restrooms. These amenities are still shared by more than 500 million homes globally. In addition to jeopardising their safety, privacy, and dignity, this also disproportionately impacts women and girls. Shared facilities subject them to additional health hazards and the possibility of harassment in settings where women and girls are largely in charge of caring for others and performing household duties.

Hygiene and Health: A Disproportionate Impact

Women and girls suffer from the lack of access to amenities that promote good hygiene. Women and girls often do household tasks in many civilizations, leaving them unprotected from health hazards by performing adequate handwashing. Their capacity to manage their menstrual health in a discreet and safe manner is further constrained by inadequate hygiene facilities. These difficulties impede not just their educational and job opportunities but also their physical health.

Although the research highlights considerable progress towards reaching universal access to WASH, significant work is still needed to close the gender disparities that are currently present. Access to well managed drinking water grew from 69% to 73% between 2015 and 2022, as did the availability of properly managed sanitation from 49% to 57% and basic hygiene services from 67% to 75%. However, a major acceleration in the rate of improvement is required to meet the Sustainable Development Goal objective for universal access to properly managed drinking water, sanitation, and basic hygiene services by 2030.

Toward Gender Equality

Gender concerns must be incorporated into WASH programmes and policies in order to effectively address these inequities. This would entail identifying the unique requirements and difficulties that women, girls, and other vulnerable groups experience. In order to fully grasp the subtleties of these disparities and enable targeted actions that can really have an impact, disaggregated data collection and analysis are essential.

Conclusion

The gender discrepancies outlined in the UNICEF and WHO study serve as a sobering reminder that there is still a long way to go until everyone has access to clean water, sanitary facilities, and hygienic practises. The majority of these inequities affect women and girls, who are deprived of opportunities, have their health and well-being damaged, and are trapped in cycles of poverty. It is a call to action for governments, organisations, and communities to work together to create a future where access to these basic resources is based on gender equality, releasing the full potential of women and girls throughout the world.