Partner Spotlight for Women's History Month: Yorlor Karyar Gaye
Water Access is a Women’s Crisis. Access to clean water changes lives for women and children around the world.
Women's History Month, which is celebrated in March each year, is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the contributions and achievements of women throughout history. One important aspect of women's history that is often overlooked is the role that women have played in securing access to clean water.
Worldwide, women and girls spend an estimated 200 million hours every single day collecting water. This burden robs women and girls of time to learn, time to be a kid, time to earn an income, time to rest, and time spent with family. In many parts of the world, women are primarily responsible for collecting water for their households. This task can be incredibly time-consuming and dangerous, particularly in areas where water sources are scarce or contaminated. Women may have to walk long distances, sometimes for several hours a day, to collect water from rivers, lakes, or wells. This puts them at risk of physical injury, as well as exposure to waterborne diseases.
In addition to the physical dangers, the time spent collecting water can also have a significant impact on women's education and economic opportunities. When women are responsible for collecting water, they may not have time to attend school or work outside the home, which can limit their earning potential and overall quality of life. When you remove this barrier, one of the most immediate transformations is school attendance for young girls. Globally, female enrolment in school increases by 15% when a community gets access to clean water.
Recognizing the important role that women play in water access is essential to promoting gender equality and sustainable development. By investing in clean water infrastructure and technologies, we can reduce the burden of water collection on women and girls, freeing up their time for education and economic activities. We can also work to promote gender equality in decision-making processes related to water management and conservation.
Water access is an important aspect of women's history that should be acknowledged and celebrated during Women's History Month and throughout the year. By recognizing the contributions of women in securing access to clean water, we can work towards a more equitable and sustainable future for all.
Quick Facts:
785 million people (one in ten) lack access to safe water.
2.2 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water.
UNICEF found that in 80% of households for which water collection is necessary, women, and girls are responsible for retrieving water.
Partner Spotlight
Meet Yorlor Karyar Gaye, the Executive Director of our partner organization, Humanity Care Liberia. Yorlor has worked to bring numerous women’s training sessions to her community in Nimba County, Liberia, and for her, this has made all the difference. These training sessions work to build capacity for advocating for women’s rights. Their programs are centered on teaching women how to advocate for integrating county development protocols to end violence against girls and women.
Madam Yorlor Karyar Gaye is an activist and humanitarian who is the founder and executive director of Humanity Care Liberia (HCL), a local nongovernmental organization that has been working with impoverished and marginalized rural women, girls, and people living with disabilities in building their capacities and strengthening their resilience in ending all forms of violence against women, girls, and people living with disabilities (VAWG & PWDs).
She is actively advocating for and creating awareness about reproductive health rights, access to services, and enhancing women’s economic empowerment by educating them in political participation, decision-making and establishing income-generating innovative alternative livelihood activities that mitigate climate change effects in rural communities and alleviate poverty and hunger.
HCL has provided safe drinking water to schools and communities; and provided meals for school kids through their school garden program for the past nine (9) years now.
Women’s History Month is important to me because of the transformations I have made in the lives of rural women, girls, and persons living with disabilities that enhanced their standard of living and wellbeing through our economic empowerment programs that increase the income of rural community dwellers and create job opportunities; abolishing cultural barriers (harmful traditional practices/FGM/Cutting) and ending all forms of violence against women, girls, and people living with disabilities.
How you can get involved: No matter how old you are, where you live, or whether or not you can give, you can help end the water crisis—and you can start right now. Please share this post to your social media presence to let your family and friends know the importance of Women’s History Month and if you’re able, head over to our website to make a one time or continuing donation. 100% of all donations go directly to the partnerships and projects that we fund.
If you would like to get involved in other ways, we would love to chat! Our amazing volunteers have previously helped at our events, and even launch their own funding campaigns. Please do not hesitate to reach out!
