Make women champions of water and sanitation
August 26, 2011
By Alka Pande/IBNS
Lucknow, Aug 26 (IBNS) Seminar at Stockholm Water Week stresses women’s role in improving water, sanitation and hygiene in developing countries.
Morning starts as early as 4.30 for Beena – a 35 year old woman from a remote Indian village. The first 2-3 of hours of the day are used to collect water for cooking, cattle and for specific needs of family members. Yet, she is hardly able to take bath once a week. "The water I collect is not sufficient for all the other requirements, how can I waste in my bathing. I ask my children also to bathe on alternate days,’’ Beena rues rubbing her face with her sari, which she is wearing for last many days.
This is the condition of more or less all the women inhabiting in the rural areas of India. Traditionally, in most of the cultures all across the globe the responsibility of collecting water falls on the shoulders of women and children, especially girls. It is not water alone but they also face the brunt of lack of sanitation facilities. Cases of violence, injuries, diseases and school drop outs are rampant at places which do not have improved sanitation.
The Government of India though perceives right to water in its constitution under right to life, people like Beena are neither aware of their rights nor they put forward their demands.
"The time for change has come. The warning bells are heard across the globe. The poor and the marginalised people cannot wait any longer for the realisation of their basic rights,’’ says Hilda Coelho, the President of Centre for Rural Studies and Development (CRSD) in India.
CRSD is a grass root organisation, which is working in Andhra Pradesh with the communities to ensure that the communities are equipped with the tool of enough knowledge to claim their rights to water and sanitation.
Coelho spoke in favour of empowering the communities with knowledge whilst addressing an international audience comprising water and sanitation experts at a seminar "Do Right-based policies enhance women’s leadership and contribute to sustainable WASH outcome: Taking stock and moving forward.’’
The seminar, held to mark the Stockholm Water Week, today, was jointly organised by Department For International Development, Government of UK (DFID), Freshwater Action Network (FAN), US Department of state, WASH (Water Sanitation Hygiene) Advocacy Initiative and WaterLex.
What do you think?
CRSD is doing a greatjob in uplifting the rural water and sanitation scenario of India . Ofcourse , CRSD has pointed women as the most vulnerable sectionof the society due to her more responsibility in water collection, storage and water use. Hats off to you as you have identified the actual strength of woman , and addressed her as champions of water and sanitation as almost 99% of sanitation , hygeinic living condition , proper water use , avoiding open defacation etc depends on her teachings to her family members and children ...