WATER

A BURDEN FOR WOMEN

In 2016 and 2015 Ethiopia faced its worst drought and humanitarian crisis in 50 years. For the second consecutive year rains have failed to materialise, leading to a widespread drought with eastern Ethiopia (Afar region and Somali region) worst affected. The El Niño weather system, which has also triggered droughts in southern Sudan as well as in the United States, Indonesia and several other countries, is being blamed for the crisis in Ethiopia. Rivers, lakes and many other water sources have dried up, hundreds of thousands of livestock have died and malnutrition is at alarming levels. The   impact on the harvest affected over ten million people in need of food aid including almost 6 million children. 

In this massive drought, the women endure the very hard charge to find water and food for the family. That involve to walk 3 to 12 hours a day under the burning sun to find water, fill water barrels and come back to the camp. They find different kind of water sources, it can be a river almost dry, a hole dug by the government where some water is filled sometime or in very remote areas, the women dig by them-self a hole deep of 3 meters in a dry river where they will find some water to fill up the plastic barrels and carry them back to their camp. Those water sources provide untreated water and will cause serious diseases for the families. The situation put a massive burden on women especially elderly, pregnant and breastfeeding women, who have to walk such long distances with their children to find firewood, water and food for their families and livestock. The impact on the education is strong, children disappear from school when the family camp is moving away to find water sources.

The land for the agriculture have been seriously damage by the lack of water and most of the population live only from this economy. In 2017 the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimate 40 millions people will suffer of malnutrition. 

Ethiopia currently face its worst drought and humanitarian crisis in 50 years. For the second consecutive year rains have failed to materialise, leading to a widespread drought with eastern Ethiopia (Afar and Somali region) worst affected. In this massive drought, the women endure the very hard charge to find water and food for the family. That involve to walk 3 to 12 hours a day under the burning sun to find water, fill a plastic barrels and carry them back to the camp.The situation put a massive burden on female community especially elderly, pregnant and breastfeeding women, who have to walk such long distances with their children to survive and take care of the family. Because of El Nino phenomenon the   impact on the harvest affected over ten million people in need of food aid including almost 6 million children.