WHAT’S THE CONNECTION BETWEEN WOMEN AND WATER?

Throughout the world, women are intrinsically linked to water resources because of their roles and responsibilities in using and managing water.Since women and girls often cook, clean, farm,and provide health care and hygiene for their households, they are on the front lines of their communities’ and countries’ water
issues.Global challenges like over-consumption,population growth, privatization and climate change all affect the quality and accessibility of water, and put a strain on limited freshwater systems. Water scarcity and contamination disproportionately impact low-income women and girls. For many girls who must walk miles to
access clean water, school is not a reality.Without a basic education or the ability to get a formal wage-earning job, many women become locked into a vicious cycle of poverty. This has a ripple effect that impacts communities and countries socially, economically and environmentally.

TAKE ACTION!
As consumers and as global citizens, we must all do our part to break the cycle of poverty and inequity that impacts women and water resources worldwide.Women around the world must have the means and the power to protect water resources critical for their and their children’s survival.

• Encourage your decision-makers to support sustainable
development initiatives that help to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals. http://endpoverty2015.org

• Get involved with Sierra Club’s Global Population and
Environment Program. Find out how at
www.sierraclub.org/population

• Get involved with Feminist Campus. Find out how at
www.feministcampus.org

• Find out more about WEDO's publications, factsheets and
case studies on women and water at www.wedo.org

• Join Sierra Club’s Population Justice Environmental
Challenge campaign at www.sierraclub.org/popjustice

• Take action in your community by using WEDO's online
action kit to educate and advocate for gender and climate
change! www.wedo.org/category/act

• Join WEDO's Women Demand U.S.Action on
Climate Change campaign listserve by visiting
http://groups.google.com/group/wdaccus?hl=en

• Join the Think Outside the Bottle Campaign to support
strong public water systems over bottled water profits
www.thinkoutsidethebottle.org

• Find out about your region’s local water worries and spread
the word on your community and campus. Host a panel or
film-screening connecting the dots between women and
water, and generate media to educate your peers!