Women and girls across Africa are carrying the heaviest burden of the water crisis, campaigners said, as debate grows over whether governments should allow more private companies to run public water systems.
The warning came as communities around the world marked World Water Day, an annual event that highlights the importance of safe and reliable water. This year’s theme, “Water and Gender,” focuses on how water shortages affect women more than men in many parts of the world.
The Our Water, Our Right Africa Coalition (OWORAC), a network of civil society groups and community organisations, said African governments should be careful about privatising water services because it could make access harder for poor households, especially women and girls.
“Across Africa, women and girls pay the highest price when governments relinquish public water systems to private interests,” Fatou Diouf of the Senegalese Water Justice Network said on behalf of the coalition.
Access to safe water remains uneven across the continent. In many rural and low-income urban areas, families still depend on distant wells, rivers or community taps. In most households, women and girls are responsible for fetching water.
Campaigners say this daily responsibility comes at a high social cost. Women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa spend about 200 million hours each day collecting water, a figure that reflects lost time that could be used for school, paid work or rest.
Cecilia Sharp, director of water, sanitation and hygiene and climate, environment, energy and disaster risk reduction at UNICEF, said the impact goes beyond the physical task of fetching water.
“Every step a girl takes to collect water is a step away from learning, playing, and safety,” she said in remarks cited by campaigners.
Advocates say the issue is becoming more urgent as governments look for ways to finance water infrastructure. Some countries are considering public-private partnerships or other forms of private sector involvement to improve supply and expand networks.
But OWORAC warned that such arrangements could increase water costs and reduce accountability if not carefully regulated. According to the coalition, when water services are run mainly for profit, poorer households may struggle to afford access.
The group also raised concerns about policy discussions in Zimbabwe, where debates about water sector reforms are happening alongside reports that the government may scrap the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, an institution focused on women’s rights.
Campaigners say removing such institutions at a time when water policies are being reviewed could weaken the voices of women who are most affected by shortages and service changes.
The debate reflects a wider challenge across Africa. Rapid population growth, climate pressures and ageing infrastructure are increasing demand for water, while governments face limited budgets to expand supply systems.
Some policymakers see private investment as a possible solution to close the funding gap. However, activists argue that the focus should remain on strengthening public systems, improving governance and ensuring communities take part in decision-making.
OWORAC said governments should invest more public funds in water infrastructure and avoid contracts that exclude citizens from decisions that affect access to essential services.
The gender dimension of the water crisis is becoming harder for policymakers to ignore. In many countries, lack of reliable water supply directly affects girls’ school attendance, women’s economic participation and family health outcomes.
For campaigners marking World Water Day, the growing discussion about privatisation highlights a deeper question about how water should be managed, as a public service or a market-driven utility.
They argue that unless women are placed at the centre of water governance and policy decisions, efforts to expand access may fail to address the realities faced by millions of households across the continent.
Source: BusinessDay
