Access to clean water, a basic human right

My name is Sandra Dube*. Every morning I wake up at five o’clock in the morning to go and fetch water for the family. Sometimes my mother accompanies me to the water source, which is about four kilometres away from our home.

On my way to the water source, I usually meet my classmates who will be already heading to school. I am often late for school and on some days I totally miss classes as the long queues at the water source usually disappears around nine o’clock in the morning. At times, I cannot attend classes because I will be tired.

It is also important for all stakeholders to continue raising awareness on the importance of access to clean water. This way, citizens can more fully understand that water is a human right and can demand accountability from their leaders to keep their promises on improving access to clean water.

If the right policies on water development are adopted and implemented, Southern African and indeed the whole world will be in a better position to address gender inequality and promote sustainable development. Click here to read full story
*Not her real name.

Kizito Sikuka is a Zimbabwean based journalist. This article is part of the Gender Links Opinion and Commentary Service series on International Women’s Day, bringing you fresh views on everyday views.