Drawing a glass of safe drinking water is a simple matter of turning on the nearest tap, or stopping at a public drinking fountain. But for hundreds of millions of women and girls who live in less developed areas, the quest for water for their families dominates their lives. Fetching water may require a walk of several miles, the return trip laden with heavy vessels. Fetching water may take more time than any other task in their lives. This burden falls disproportionately on women and girls because they are, by tradition, the providers of food and water for their families.
Fetching water can take anywhere from 1 to 8 hours per day. When women and girls spend this much time on one task, there is often little time left for other activities such as school, other domestic chores, income-producing work, and relaxation. This also means that opportunities related to education and economic advancement are limited. According to the Huffington Post, 443 million school days are lost in the developing world every single year, mostly for girls, due to poor water and sanitation. With limited education, women are less likely to participate in governmental functions. As a result, governments are less likely to pay attention to issues like the burden of fetching water, as the people directly affected by these burdens have little voice in the halls of government.