Africa: To the moon and back - women and water

Women are most often responsible for domestic and community water management in developing societies, being in charge of determining sources, quantity and hygienic quality, begins a Unifem publication. On average women and children travel 10-15 kilometres, spending 8 or more hours per day collecting water and carrying up to 20 kilos or 15 litres per trip. It has been calculated that in South Africa alone, women collectively walk the equivalent distance of 16 times to the moon and back per day gathering water for families. The economic value of this unpaid contribution is enormous, notes the publication.