A new study confirms that dirty water is killing more women than breast cancer and AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). The report reveals that poor sanitation and unclean water are the world's fifth killer of women.
According to Charity Water, diseases caused by these factors kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.
"The WHO reports that over 3.6% of the global disease burden can be prevented simply by improving water supply, sanitation, and hygiene."
"In Africa alone, people spend 40 billion hours every year walking for water. Women and children usually bear the burden of water collection, walking miles to the nearest source, which is unprotected and likely contaminated," Charity Water added.
Many diseases can spread through water. According to WaterAid, approximately 800,000 women die every year due to lack of access to clean and safe water.
WaterAid is an international non-profit organization that aims to promote improved access to safe water, improved hygiene and sanitation in the world's poorest communities. They studied and analyzed data that were collected by the Institute of Health Metrics Research Center in Seattle.
Their report also says that one in every 10 women, a total of 370 million globally, have no access to clean water. Furthermore, one billion people lack sanitary toilets. Despite efforts to reverse the situation, there are still areas in under-developed countries that have no access to clean water and toilets. In fact, efforts were made from 1990 to 2012 to bring clean and safe water to about two billion people in the world's most deprived and poor countries.
Moreover, based from the report, they said that besides the top causes of deaths among women including heart disease, stroke, lower respiratory infection and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), poor sanitation and unclean water are not far behind in causing severe illness and deaths among women.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that a huge percentage of pregnant women in developing countries still give birth at home without sanitary water. As a result, they are exposed to infections. To make things worse, this predisposes their infants to serious and fatal complications.
Water is a ground for many microorganisms that can cause abdominal diseases and infections that can be fatal to both mothers and babies. Providing women and families with clean and sanitary water should be among the top priorities of local government units all over the world.
"This completely unacceptable situation affects women and girls' education, their health, their dignity and ultimately, in too many cases, results in an early and needless death," Barbara Frost, CEO of WaterAid said.