The Country Director of WaterAid-Ghana, Dr. Affia Zakiya, has re-echoed the firm’s commitment of working hard to ensure that women have access to continuous and consistent, safe water, sanitation and hygiene [WASH] in?the country.
Adding that, WaterAid Ghana will work hard to advocate for the rights to WASH, especially for WASH facilities in all existing and all new health institutions and schools.
This she said, will help address the equalities that limit their full potentials. These remarks were contained in her congratulatory message to women, to mark International Women’s Day which fell on 8th March 2015.
“It is a day set aside for celebrating the wonderful achievements of women globally. It is opportunity to celebrate women in Ghana”.
According to her, adequate, access to continuous and consistent, safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) remains a major challenge for many in Ghana, especially women and girls.
This she said, the implications of poor access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) is especially is a worrying trend for mothers.
“Maternal mortality in Ghana remains unacceptably high at 380 per 100,000 live births. Indeed, no preventable death is acceptable. Families generally, but especially mothers, deal with the intense emotional cost of
losing a newborn and/or an infant. Forty percent (40%) of infant deaths in Ghana are of newborns. A high number of these deaths are directly related to lack of adequate water, sanitation and hygiene. Sepsis related deaths
are one example” she explained.
She noted that ,the WaterAid Ghana?s Health Start, advocacy programme, which was launched on 16 February, 2015 will contribute to the goals of Ghana?s National Newborn and Child Health Strategy and Action Plan.
According to her, providing safe water, sanitation, and hygiene for all and sundry by 2030 will secure the well being of mothers, newborns, children and fathers. It supports individual health and therefore public
health.
Listen to Vida Alebra, a textile artisan from Pobaga, Bolgatanga explain: ?It used to take me two hours to draw the water and when you think about how I needed up to 10 basins of water for my work, it looked like almost
the whole day I was carrying water. Now in just 15 minutes I can collect about three basins. Supposing this water was not close to me, how could I be doing this work? It is because the water is close to me that I am able
to do this work effectively.? ?Some of the newly married women have quarrels with their husbands, just because they cannot support the home; but if I am able to give them a handcraft, it will help them and their husbands,? she explained. ?We used to quarrel and fight because we were all rushing for the water, but now everybody has enough to fetch and I have more friends.”
There are women like Vida all over Ghana. I am sure you know some. Let?s celebrate them; Help WaterAid Ghana reach more women like Vida, with safe water, sanitation and hygiene.
Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo
