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Water & Sanitation Crisis Escalates as Yemen Marks World Water Day – Global Issues

Credit: Wael Al-Gadi / Oxfam
  • Idea by Fayad Al-Derwish (governor of ibb, yemen)
  • Joint press service

Due to conflict and a long history of underdevelopment, Yemen was already the poorest country in the region long before the conflict broke out. Yemen is suffering from a severe shortage of functioning irrigation systems, water supply points and sanitation facilities.

This puts the people of Yemen at risk of life-threatening diseases such as cholera and typhoid, as well as hygiene restrictions against COVID-19. At the end of 2021, Yemen experienced a third wave of COVID-19 infections.

As of August 2021, officially confirmed cases of Covid-19 have reached 8,265, with 3,252 related deaths according to the World Health Organization, but the real number may be higher. with the country with the least testing capacity and reduced visits to health facilities due to economic barriers.

Improved water, sanitation and hygiene services – such as reliable access to clean water and especially the use of working latrines – are not simply a matter of convenience. It is central to survival, especially for those who are already the most vulnerable.

Women and girls often walk long distances, responsible for fetching water by using a rope to lift water from an open well. In some remote and isolated areas, some households still do not have a latrine and thus cultural norms force many women who have no other choice to relieve themselves in the evening, during when no one is watching.

All of these actions put women and girls at risk of being attacked by men or predators. Less than 10% of displaced people (80% are children and women) have access to safe latrines. In addition, waiting until it is dark to have a bowel movement increases the chances of getting sick.

The lack of water and sanitation infrastructure also affects the health and education of girls. In the absence of infrastructure in schools that allow girls to study comfortably and maintain personal hygiene, especially during the menstrual cycle, many girls drop out of school during puberty.

The inability of female students to manage menstrual hygiene in schools leads to school absences, taboos and stigmas related to menstruation leading to a culture of silence around the subject, leading to limitations. Information on menstrual hygiene. Such misinformation can seriously affect girls’ health.

One promising sign of change I see is that society has begun to accept that menstruation is a very natural thing, thanks to the constant work of organizations promoting awareness of the importance of menstruation. of this problem.

In response to the water and sanitation crisis, aid organizations have deployed services that are essential to saving lives and promoting gender equality. Unfortunately, these vital efforts are severely underfunded – as seen at last week’s disappointing pledge conference, where funding allocated to Yemen plummeted again.

Reaching some of the most inaccessible areas in the country, Oxfam provides safe water to vulnerable communities, prioritizing schools and camps for displaced people. We also build latrines – both shared and family homes – and ensure that locals are provided with the skills they need to earn an income, amplifying the benefits of the intervention long after it has been established. to leave the area.

Our work in water infrastructure goes beyond simple projects. Indiscriminate well drilling and unrestricted use of groundwater during previous periods of prolonged drought have left some rural areas without safe water sources, thus forcing planners to consider solutions. new.

In parts of the Ibb Governorate, which receive the most rainfall in the country, we have found that collecting or “harvesting” rainwater is a viable option. We have built four harvest tanks and a massive solar pumping system to more than five sites in both Taiz and Ibb Administrations.

We’ve formatted about 12 water usage committees and given them all they need to manage a solar water system properly, as well as include some of the women on these committees .

To improve sanitation in IDP camps in areas of Taiz province, we built and renovated more than 250 latrines that are connected to the main sewer project that Oxfam has built in the City Al-Howban, State of Taiz, benefits nearly 13,000 people including displaced and organized communities.

Faced with many of these challenges, I’m proud of the role I’ve been able to take on in Oxfam as the WASH Team Leader, tackling what I can. After a challenging start in life – dealing with autism, I feel like I’ve really come to terms with the situation, and I feel fortunate that I can now make a living helping out. others.

In my role, I manage all aspects of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions from assessment, analysis, design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation at key policy levels. authority Taiz and Ibb, in the South and North of the country.

Oxfam has been present in Yemen since 1983 and continued to work on development and empowerment projects for women and vulnerable people until the conflict escalated in early 2015. Currently, Oxfam works on throughout Yemen to provide clean water, sanitation and hygiene.

We provide cash assistance to affected communities and help people make a living. We also work to ensure that civilians are well protected, and work with civil society organizations to ensure that the voices of women and young people are heard and included in the progress of civil society. peace process.

With the arrival of the Coronavirus in 2019, Oxfam has refocused its work in Yemen to respond. Across Yemen, we have trained public health volunteers to promote coronavirus and the importance of hygiene and hand washing.

An opportunity to save lives and provide relief to so many, to give hope and purpose to many — including humanitarians like myself. Such work gives great meaning to our lives for those of us who are involved in providing, managing, and delivering support.

But as the Yemenis leading this response, we need to see progress. I hope to mark World Water Days and Women’s History Month in the future with more progress towards a more peaceful, stable and healthy future for all Yemenis.

Fayad Al-Derwish is the Water and Sanitation (WASH) Team Leader for Oxfam in Yemen.

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© Inter Press Service (2022) – All rights reservedOrigin: Inter Press Service

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