The Human Rights to Water and Sanitation for Girls in Africa: Dignity, (Gender) Equality and Opportunity

Ngcimezile Mbano-Mweso

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Chapter 5 The Human Rights to Water and Sanitation for Girls in Africa: Dignity, (Gender) Equality and Opportunity

In: The Social, Economic and Cultural Rights of Children in Africa

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Ngcimezile Mbano-Mweso

Ngcimezile Mbano-Mweso
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Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 106–130

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004685604_006

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Abstract

Children living in ‘water poverty’ and with lack of proper sanitation experience higher vulnerability to water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, and typhoid. They are at a higher risk of diminished food supplies, malnutrition, and stunting. For girls, this impacts their education as they often miss school to fetch water or to take care of their menstrual hygiene. As they often travel long distances and spend hours fetching water, girls are exposed to a higher risk of abuse, particularly sexual abuse. Therefore, water and sanitation services are critical to the survival of millions of children, especially girls, as they fulfil a number of child rights, including the rights to life and dignity, equality, health, food, education, housing, and an adequate standard of living. Access to water and sanitation is important for the health, survival, growth, and development of children. This chapter argues that the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child provides a principled basis to enforce the rights to water and sanitation and obligates State Parties to provide water and sanitation services on a non-discriminatory basis. It also argues that the rights to water and sanitation obligate national governments to invest substantial economic resources to develop water and sanitation infrastructure especially for the African girl child who suffers discrimination which undermines her dignity, equality, and opportunity for growth and development. Through a doctrinal methodology and an appreciative inquiry from a human rights-based approach, the chapter traces the legal basis, pronouncements, and standards set for governments as well as the challenges and gaps in building a vision for realising these rights for the girl child.

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The Social, Economic and Cultural Rights of Children in Africa

Challenges and Reflections from the Perspective of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child

E-Book ISBN:: 9789004685604

Publisher:: Brill | Nijhoff

Print Publication Date:: 21 Dec 2024

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Chapter 5 The Human Rights to Water and Sanitation for Girls in Africa: Dignity, (Gender) Equality and Opportunity

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The Social, Economic and Cultural Rights of Children in Africa

Challenges and Reflections from the Perspective of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child

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