Water Access – A Root of Poverty, Violence and Vulnerability of Women

Globally, of the 1.8 billion people who have no access to safe water, women and girls bear the greatest burden for its collection. According to UNWomen, on average, women and girls travel 6 km/3.7 miles taking up to two hours every day to collect and transport water to their home. Most women can only carry one large jerry can, each of which holds five gallons or 20 liters, weighing approximately 20 kg/42 lbs, which can cause physical pain or injury over time. This water must then serve an average of eight to ten people in a household daily for drinking, cooking, washing clothes and dishes, bathing, and house cleaning.