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It's beyond horrifying: Experts say that every day, tens of thousands of women and girls are forced into sex for a few litres of water. Women's lives are being shattered -- and yet, in most places, this vile exploitation is completely legal. Now, brave women's rights groups in Kenya are pushing for a law to end this abuse and they've asked for our help. Let's all join, and help end this terrifying practice against vulnerable women and girls!
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Dear friends,
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Imagine being so desperate for water, you’d do anything to get it. Anything.
Experts estimate that tens of thousands of women and girls around the world – and maybe many more – face this situation every single day.
And corrupt water vendors in Kenya are taking advantage in the worst possible way, forcing them into sex for just a few litres.
Children are being abused, women’s lives shattered. They have no choice.
But here’s the really crazy thing: since there’s no law against this vile exploitation, it’s completely legal!
We could change that. Kenyan women’s rights groups say the government is considering a law to make this abuse illegal – and that massive show of global pressure could make all the difference.
They’re asking the Avaaz community to help – let’s lend our voices to some of the poorest, most vulnerable people on Earth, and demand an end to sex-for-water abuse. When our call is huge, we’ll deliver our voices to Kenya’s government.
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To those of us with running water, this horror seems unimaginable. But in slums in Kenya, water is a precious and rare resource. Many women and girls walk miles to find enough to survive – and their desperation makes them vulnerable.
And it’s not just Kenya – wherever extreme poverty bites, sexual exploitation is certain to follow. Sex for water abuse has been documented in Bangladesh, Mexico and Colombia, too.
The impact is devastating, with women eaten up with shame and cast out of their communities, the HIV epidemic and teen pregnancies soaring. A new law could make a massive difference – protecting women and girls.
Let’s join the brave women's rights activists in Kenya and demand an end to this horror – add your voice now!
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Avaaz has fought to protect women and girls all over the world. We’ve demanded equal access to education, protection from abusive regimes, and battled to protect reproductive rights for women everywhere. Now we have a chance to do something amazing – let’s take it!
With hope and determination,
Patricia, Nate, Mel, Julian, Antonia, Huiting and the whole Avaaz team
PS: We won’t be doing this alone – if enough of us sign, we’ll team up with the Kenya Water and Sanitation CSOs Network (KEWASNET), the Africa Civil Society Network for Water and Sanitation (ANEW), the Umande Trust, and brave survivors of sex for water abuse.
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More information:Photo Credit: Mariella Furrer
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