Kaduna Targets Gender Inequality Through Water Access Drive

Kaduna Targets Gender Inequality Through Water Access Drive

Kaduna State has placed women and girls at the centre of its water sector reforms, declaring that improved access to clean water is now a key strategy for tackling gender inequality and unlocking economic opportunities.

At a press briefing to mark World Water Day 2026, the Deputy Director of Water Resources, David Roven Aliyu, speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Works and Infrastructure, said the state is deliberately linking water access to gender empowerment.

With the global theme “Water and Gender: Where Water Flows, Equality Grows,” Aliyu said Kaduna is confronting a long-standing reality where women and girls bear the heaviest burden of water scarcity.

He noted that in many communities, women spend hours daily fetching water—time that could otherwise be invested in education, business, or skills development—while girls often miss school due to poor sanitation and menstrual hygiene challenges.

“Access to water is no longer just a basic service—it is a pathway to dignity, education, and economic empowerment for women and girls,” he said.

Aliyu revealed that the state government is expanding water infrastructure to rural and underserved communities, drastically reducing the distance to water sources and freeing up time for women to pursue productive activities.

He added that Kaduna is also promoting women-led water management committees, giving women a voice in decision-making and ensuring water systems reflect their needs.

In the education sector, the government is upgrading sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools, a move aimed at reducing absenteeism among girls and improving retention.

The impact, according to him, is already being felt.

Through the World Bank-supported SURWASH Programme, over 30,000 people now have access to clean water and improved sanitation, while thousands of women and girls are benefiting from safer, more accessible facilities.

Initiatives such as the Pad the Girl programme and the Reusable Sanitary Pad Project are also addressing menstrual health challenges, restoring confidence among female students and enabling them to stay in school.

Beyond health and education, the government says improved water access is opening up economic opportunities.

Programmes like Operation TSAFTA have created jobs for over 5,000 youths and women, linking sanitation services to livelihoods and community development.

Aliyu stressed that the broader goal is to transform water from a daily struggle into a tool for social and economic inclusion.

“When women have access to water, communities thrive. Families are healthier, girls stay in school, and local economies grow,” he said.

He disclosed that ongoing rehabilitation of water treatment plants and expansion of distribution networks—now nearing 97 percent completion—are restoring pipe-borne water to many homes, a development expected to further ease the burden on women.

However, he warned that sustaining these gains requires public cooperation, urging residents to protect water infrastructure, pay their bills, and report leakages.

As Kaduna aligns its efforts with Sustainable Development Goal 6, the state government says its approach is clear: water is not just about supply—it is about equity, opportunity, and empowerment.

“Where water flows, equality must grow,” Aliyu declared.