Millions of African girls miss school and risk sexual abuse every day to carry water
Girls' education
A young girl carries water at a camp for internally displaced people in Bangui, Central African Republic
At least 17 million women and girls in Africa collect water every day, which increases their risk of sexual abuse, disease and dropping out of school, a study published yesterday has found.
It is one of the first studies to calculate how many womenand children were responsible for water collection in Africa,the researchers said.
Using datasets from the , the United Nations children鶹APPsagency , and the (USAID), researchers found that around three million childrenand 14 million women collect water in sub-Saharan Africa.
鶹APPThe absolute number of adult females affected by thispractice was a shock to me,鶹APP Jay Graham, lead author of thestudy, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
鶹APPI knew it would be large鶹APP but I didn鶹APPt realise it wouldbe that high,鶹APP added Graham, who is professor at the MilkenInstitute School of Public Health at The George WashingtonUniversity.
The daily practice causes musculoskeletal damage, softtissue damage and can lead to early arthritis, Graham said.
People also have to contend with water-borne diseases likeschistosomiasis, an infection caused by parasitic worms livingin fresh water, he said.
Across all 24 countries examined, including Sierra Leone,Malawi and Niger, more girls were tasked with water collectionthan boys. Women were also the primary water collector in allcountries.
Children are pulled out of school for the daily task andmany women cannot earn an income because of the time and energyit takes to collect water, Graham said.
A Malian girl carries a water from a water pump in Gao
Since they often need to walk long distances to find water,women and children are also at a higher risk of sexual abuse, headded.
In a statement issued last month, the Human RightsCommission of Sierra Leone said drought was putting even morepressure on children to find water.
鶹APPChildren, particularly girls, are out in the street verylate at night or as early as 4am in search of water,鶹APP thestatement read.
鶹APPThis heightens their vulnerability and contributes toincrease in teenage pregnancy, child labour, high rates ofschool dropouts and poor school performance,鶹APP it said.
Demand for water is expected to increase by 2050 as theworld鶹APPs population is forecast to grow by one-third to more than ninebillion, according to the UN.
As climate change strengthens, drought is becoming morefrequent and severe in southern Africa, and that 鶹APP combined withthis year鶹APPs El Nino phenomenon 鶹APP is taking a heavy toll on rurallives and economies.
鶹APPWith climate change, it鶹APPs going to be more of an uphillbattle,鶹APP said Graham. 鶹APPIf there鶹APPs focused attention on it andresources, we can improve upon the situation but I do think it鶹APPsgoing to become more difficult.鶹APP
But it also crucial to address gender inequality and torecognise the unpaid labour that women do across the globe, hesaid, which he believes is the underlying issue.
鶹APPThere is a need to address cultural values and reallyshifting the belief that women and men are equal too.鶹APP
The , the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, covers humanitarian news, women鶹APPs rights, corruption and climate change.
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