The Country Director of WaterAid Nigeria, Evelyn Mere, has called for accelerated action on gender equality in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene for women.

Ms Mere made this known in a statement in commemoration of the 2025 International Women’s Day on Saturday.

She stated that women and girls carried the heaviest burden of WASH-related inequalities.

She said, “According to the 2021 Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASHNORM) survey, 69 per cent of households in Nigeria rely on women and girls to fetch water. Often, they must collect water from distant and unsafe sources, exposing them to health risks and threats to their safety.’’

She noted that in sub-Saharan Africa, nearly 80 per cent of households without direct water access depend primarily on women and girls for water collection.

“This has deprived them of opportunities for education and livelihoods and threatens the achievement of multiple SDGs. Increasing access to safe WASH, protecting women’s rights to education, promoting their dignity, and enhancing their ability to contribute more productively to national development are crucial,” she said.

According to her, the organisation empowers women in WASH by providing skills training, leadership opportunities, and community engagement initiatives.

She called on governments, development partners, and the private sector to invest in WASH systems and promote gender equality.

The country director added that the completion and approval of the National WASH and Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management Policies would be a good start.

She added, “On this International Women’s Day, we call on governments at all levels, development partners, and the private sector to invest in inclusive WASH systems to ensure that women are not just beneficiaries, but also leaders and decision-makers. The completion and approval of the National WASH and Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management Policies, which are currently being developed, would be a good place to start.’’

(NAN)