By Guest Writer
Improving access to safe water is doing more than reducing waterborne diseases in eastern Uganda—it is also helping to reduce gender-based violence (GBV), strengthen family relationships, and improve the safety of women and girls.
In Mayuge District, where women and girls once walked long distances to collect water, the daily journey often exposed them to harassment, sexual violence, exploitation, and domestic conflict. Local leaders reported that many GBV cases stemmed from the time women spent away from home or the risks they faced while travelling to distant water sources.
To tackle these interconnected challenges, Habitat for Humanity Uganda (HFHU), with support from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), implemented an integrated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme across six villages (i.e., Bugot, Bugumya, Makoma, Kirongo A, Nakaswa, and Butumbula). The project combined investments in water infrastructure—including a hand-pump borehole and rainwater harvesting systems—with sanitation improvements, hygiene promotion, and community behaviour change initiatives.
The programme reached more than 5,600 people, benefiting households, schools, Village Health Teams, teachers, artisans, and women’s groups. Three years after implementation, community members and local leaders say the impact extends well beyond improved access to clean water. Women spend less time collecting water, households experience fewer conflicts, and communities report a noticeable decline in gender-based violence.
“Before, many women experienced domestic violence because they spent hours walking to collect water,” said Nabulumba Zauja, a Village Health Team member from Kirongo Village. “Now that water is available nearby, families experience less conflict, women are safer, and our community is healthier.”
For Kasada Noah, a resident of Bukabooli Village, the project transformed family life. “When my wife returned home late from collecting water, arguments often followed,” he said. “Today, water is much closer, there is greater understanding in our family, and we live more peacefully.”
Village Chairperson Wabwire Tito has also witnessed the change. “Many of the GBV cases we handled were linked to long journeys for water,” he said. “Since the project improved access to water and sanitation, these incidents have reduced significantly.”
The results from Mayuge underscore growing evidence that investments in WASH generate benefits that extend beyond health. Evidence indicates that reducing the burden and risks associated with water collection while promoting community awareness and positive social norms, integrated WASH programmes contribute to gender equality, protect vulnerable populations, and strengthen community resilience.
For Habitat for Humanity Uganda, the experience demonstrates that access to safe water is not only a public health intervention—it is also a powerful investment in dignity, protection, and lasting community development.(For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
