Improving Women-led Water Access in Sebkha, Mauritania

Together with the municipality of Sebkha, Mauritania, and local communities, Cities Alliance is building the first communal water point in the city.

The infrastructure will strengthen women's leadership in water management, improve the community's access to water and respond to women’s specific risks and water-related needs

This initiative is part of Cities Alliance's Women and Sustainable Cities programme, which aims to enhance the participation of women in local water governance and improve their resilience to risks linked to droughts, floods and precarious access to water in Sebkha.

It follows a co-creation process involving more than 500 citizens, engaged through surveys and workshops. The findings highlight that out of the 10 existing water points in Sebkha, only one is managed by women, and that water carters are traditionally a paid occupation reserved to men. 

Poor hygiene around these water points contribute to the spread of diseases, particularly during the rainy season in low-lying neighbourhoods like Lkouve, where the new water point is situated.

Serving approximately 4,200 residents, the new water source will also allow provide a new income stream for women through a water vending cooperative, further supporting their economic empowerment.

Watch the video to learn more.

French video available here.