Podcast: Why women and girls lose the most in the absence of WASH

Listen to "Why women and girls lose the most in the absence of WASH" on Spreaker.

When it comes to poor access to WASH, the repercussions are often disproportionately felt by women, Barbara Schreiner, executive director at the Water Integrity Network, tells Devex.

“Women, because of pregnancy and menstruation, have particular needs for hygiene, sanitation, and for being able to wash. When those aren’t provided, there are problems,” she says.

For example, a lack of adequate facilities in schools might mean girls having to stay at home during their menstruation, impacting their ability to learn; collecting water instead of working can limit their opportunities to earn a living, and using a toilet without a lock can leave them open to gender-based violence.

If Sustainable Development Goal 6 — on clean water and sanitation for all — isn’t achieved, there could be repercussions for SDG 5 on gender equality, Schreiner says. But this goes for the rest of the agenda too, she adds.

“There are 17 SDGs and pretty much all of them are actually dependent on access to water,” Schreiner says. “Without [the] availability of water and decent sanitation, you don’t achieve the goal of no poverty, the gender goal, the goal of no hunger, [and] the goal of economic development.”

In a new podcast, Devex explores how a lack of WASH might impact progress on the broader sustainable development agenda. WASH Works taps into global perspectives and recommendations for changes, as well as taking a look at what local initiatives are simultaneously tackling challenges on the ground.

To kick off the series, Devex spoke to Schreiner and Jamila Mayanja, CEO at Smart Girls Foundation Uganda, about the intersection of WASH and gender equality and what actions can be taken to push forward progress on both SDG 5 and 6.

You may listen to the podcast through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Spreaker.

Visit the WASH Works series for more coverage on water, sanitation, and hygiene — and importantly, how WASH efforts intersect with other development challenges. You can join the conversation using the hashtag #WASHWorks.