Woman drinking water in Ghana Credit: World Bank
Washing, cooking, carrying and cleaning: in the developing world, the role of water looms large in the lives of women. How far is the nearest borehole? How clean is the water? Is there enough to cook with? These are not complex or abstract questions, and yet the answers can be the difference between misery and drudgery and a healthy, decent life for women in the developing world.
Just as the washing machine opened up space for leisure in high income countries, access to safe and reliable water resources has the potential to free up the time, productivity, and leisure for women in poor countries. Infrastructural investment – in water planning but in many other areas too – can transform women’s quality of life, yet their unique needs and experiences are mostly ignored.
