Why clean water is a women’s issue. Access to water and sanitation are fundamental human rights.
The Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6 or Global Goal 6) declares the importance of achieving ‘Clean water and sanitation for all’.
It is one of the 17 SDGs established by the United Nations General Assembly to succeed the former Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Without safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, women and girls seem to be more vulnerable to abuse, attack, and illness, limiting their ability to study, work and live in dignity.
Improvements to WASH at home, school, work, and in public places promote gender equity. Women and girls must play a central role in developing and implementing solutions that address their specific needs.
In many areas, women and girls are usually responsible for fetching water. This can be a hazardous, time-consuming and physically exhausting task. Long walks, often multiple times per day, can expose women and girls to attack and prevent them from attending school or earning a living. Personal safety is paramount for women and girls when it comes to sanitation. Having to use toilet facilities outside or sharing facilities with men and boys puts women and girls at greater risk of abuse and assault.
