Women and girls in both urban and rural areas are facing challenges of abuse due to shortage of water supply and they are to fetch water in far areas.
In rural areasgirls travels 5 kilometres to fetch water and they are facing challenges of sexual harassment from boys who will be herding cattle hence it promotes diseases like HIV . Girls are dropping out from schools because they have to fetch water.Therefore, sources of water should increase such as wells and boreholes.
Furthermore, residence in Glen Norah Harare are complaining about scarcity of water supply. They are waking up early in order to have access to water and they catch a cold leading to diseases like ummonia and coughing.
Glen Norah resident Mrs Chingodza says, “everyday l woke up at 3am to fetch water, things are getting touch here.”
Women are also complaining that it’s been while without having access of water on their taps and they are to stand long queues on boreholes.
“It’s almost three weeks without having water on our taps and we are to stand long queues in order to fetch water”, said Mrs Matanhire.
Women with disability are facing challenges on access to water. They are sending their children to look for water but due to climate change it’s now season of crops like maize and they are afraid that their children might kidnapped or raped.
Mrs Chingonzo states that , ” it’s hard for people living with disability to fetch water at boreholes and in communities there should drill boreholes specifically for disabled people.
In order to secure the safety of women and girls healthy more boreholes should be drilled even protected wells so that everyone will have equal access to water supply.
By Thelma Mbudzana
Water for life foundation