Oxfam Kenya 100d ago

Water is a basic human right—but access to it is not equal. Across Kenya and globally, women and girls are disproportionately affected by the water crisis, often bearing the burden of collecting water, facing safety risks, and being excluded from decision-making. Every day, women and girls spend an estimated 200 million hours collecting water—time that could otherwise be spent on education, livelihoods, or rest. In humanitarian crises and climate-affected contexts, these inequalities are even more pronounced. Droughts, floods, and displacement increase the distance to water sources, heighten protection risks, and deepen existing gender inequalities—especially in fragile and underserved communities. At Oxfam, we see that achieving safe and sustainable water access is inseparable from advancing gender equality. When women and girls have access to water and sanitation—and a voice in how services are designed and managed—communities are healthier, more resilient, and more just. This World Water Day, we call for greater investment in inclusive, gender-responsive WASH systems that recognize and address these inequalities. Where water flows, equality grows.