For her it's the big issue: putting women at the centre of water supply, sanitation and hygiene.

Abstract

Lack of basic sanitation and safe water is an acute problem for all who live in poor and overcrowded urban slums and rural areas of the developing world. For women and girls it presents unique problems.\n\nSimply fetching water can place them at risk, while many have to wait until dark to relieve themselves, fearing harassment and sexual assault. In schools dropout rates increase when access to safe water and separate boys and girls toilet facilities are unavailable. There is also a clear need for privacy and dignity in relation to menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth.\n\nWithin the home, women typically bear the main responsibility for keeping their households supplied with water, caring for the sick, maintaining a hygienic domestic environment and bringing up healthy children. \n\nWith such users' insight and specific needs to be taken into consideration, wouldn't it make sense to involve women in all planning, implementation and operations of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programmes?\n\nHere we examine the crucial role women can and should play as key agents of change. This collection of evidence and illustrated examples of real projects highlights the effect and benefits for the community as a whole placing women at the core of WASH programmes brings.