Women as (Water) Carriers

Introduction

Welcome to my first blog! Africa has and will always be a place close to my heart. With my mother being born in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania and my father born in Nairobi, Kenya, I have visited Africa numerous times and have witnessed first-hand the devastating impacts of water scarcity. This blog aims contextualise the role of gender within water and development discourse by specifically focusing on the role women play in water collection in Africa.

Africa: Context and Portrayal

Africa's history has been significantly impacted by Europe's influence of the continent. 21st century problems of development are echoed by European colonialism, particularly the Scramble for Africa, the slave trade and the ongoing exploitation of its people and resources. As a result,  Western media and literature has framed Africa as a place that needs to be saved. We see this in Wainana’s (2005) satirical article, where he presents Africa as a heterogeneous and harmonious nation, whereby all nations endure the same universal experiences, when in reality it is one of the most ethnically diverse regions of the world, consisting of over 54 countries. 

For women, the water crisis is personal

When water is difficult to access, the burden of collecting it falls explicitly on women and girls. Almost 90% of Sub Saharan African households have no access to piped water, resulting in women walking upto 2.5 hours to collect water for basic needs.  Figure 1 shows how in Ethopia, Nigeria and Mozambique, 10 million women spend over 30 minutes collecting water, whilst In Malawi, women spent 54 minutes collecting water, in comparison to only 6 minutes by men.



Figure 1: The number of adult females who are reported as the primary collectors of water, by country, for household reporting to spend greater than 30 minutes collecting water.

Lost hours and health impacts

The opportunity costs of collecting water are high for women, with far reaching effects. In Africa, water sources tend to be very far from the home, with uneven and steep terrain and women walk an average of 6km per day collecting water. This significantly reduces the time spent with families, taking care of children and various other domestic and leisure activities. It also prevents them from obtaining a good education and a stable occupation. In addition, the weight of the water being carried over long distances can lead to health problems such as musculosketal damage, early degenerative bone and soft tissue damage. The burden is even heavier for pregnant women, increasing the risk of early labour and miscarriage. 



Figure1: An image of women carrying water in Africa 


Empowered women yield better results


Despite women playing a key role in obtaining and managing water, women are often denied access to knowledge, technology and decision- making, due to patriarchal norms. They are neglected in local and national water management decisions, resulting in the failure of many water projects. Broader strategies are needed to reduce gender disparities in water access. When women are co designers of irrigation technologies and equal partners in implementing solutions the location, the scale and effectiveness of projects are optimised, benefitting everyone. 


Conclusion

The issue of water and gender in Africa is a complex one; there is not one right answer nor one universal solution to the problem. With climate change predicted to worsen in the future, water scarcity will exacerbate, leading to social instability and civil conflict. This will impact Africa, and in particular African women the hardest. In this series of blogs, I’d like to emphasise the disparities between water and gender and provide a voice to those individuals who have been marginalised in the process of development.



Comments

  1. Helen Gulliford4 January 2023 at 07:09

    This is a really thorough and comprehensive blog! I was most shocked to learn about the potential health problems associated with fetching water as this was not something I had necessarily considered before. You wrote about the value women can provide when they are involved in governance decisions, but how do you think women can overcome the barriers they face in relation to involvement in policy discussions?

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    1. Kavitri Parmar8 January 2023 at 18:09

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    2. Kavitri Parmar8 January 2023 at 18:34

      Hi Helen, thank you for your comment! There are several ways in which women can overcome barriers to their involvement in policy decisions in Africa:

      Build networks and coalitions: Women can work together to build networks and coalitions with other women, as well as with men and organizations that support gender equality. These networks can provide support, resources, and a platform for women to advocate for their rights and interests.

      Seek out leadership and training opportunities: Women can seek out leadership and training opportunities to build their skills, knowledge, and confidence, which can help them to be more effective advocates and leaders.

      Engage with decision-makers: Women can engage with decision-makers, such as politicians, policymakers, and community leaders, to advocate for their rights and interests. This can involve participating in consultations, submitting feedback and recommendations, and advocating for policies and laws that promote gender equality.

      Use social media and other platforms to amplify their voices: Women can use social media and other platforms to share their stories, opinions, and ideas, and to advocate for change.

      Work with allies: Women can work with allies, such as men and organizations that support gender equality, to help amplify their voices and advocate for change.

      Overall, it is important for women to be proactive and strategic in overcoming barriers to their involvement in policy decisions, and to seek out and utilize the resources and support that are available to them.

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  2. Maya Patel7 January 2023 at 03:18

    This was a very fascinating blog to read- your graph showing the number of adult females across Africa who spent over 30 minutes collecting water as primary water collectors was shocking and really useful to get your message across. I wonder whether the principle of gender equity may come in useful here as a solution...since men carry much less responsibility for water collection, perhaps if they were educated on how, if women and men share the burden equally, then access to water would not be such a precarious situation, both for the household, and for women; in other words, everyone mutually benefits.

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    1. Kavitri Parmar8 January 2023 at 18:26

      Thank you for your comment Maya. I definitely agree that gender equity is important as it ensures that everyone, regardless of their gender has equal opportunities and rights. Promoting gender equity in Africa can help address issues such as discrimination, violence against women and can help alleviate the water carrying burden. It can also help to create a more balanced and fair society and is crucial for the development and prosperity of any country. However, there are several challenges that Africa may face in promoting gender equity. One challenge is the persistence of traditional gender roles and stereotypes, which can limit the opportunities and choices available to women and girls. Another challenge is the high rate of violence against women and girls, which can make it difficult for them to fully participate in social, economic, and political life. Additionally, there may be economic and educational barriers that prevent women and girls from accessing the same opportunities as men and boys. Finally, there may be a lack of political will or inadequate policies and laws to promote gender equity and address discrimination against women and girls. This being said, I think gender equity is definitely important and can make a huge change in African communities, however analysing African political and social dynamics, I am unsure to whether this will actually work and be the best solution for water collection

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