What is Girl Strong?
Never before has the world been so close to ending the global water and sanitation crisis. It’s a fight we know can be won, but not without putting women and girls first. Girl Strong offers a glimpse into the problems that many women and girls face day in and day out.
- Ever year, women and girls spend 152 Million hours collecting water. Time that could be better spent in school and working.
- Women and girls walk an average of six miles round-trip to collect water, carrying an average of 40 pounds (approximately the same amount your checked baggage can weigh on most commercial airline flights).
- In India alone, it is estimated that collecting and carrying water costs 150 million work days every single year.
- It is estimated that women and girls spend 97 billion hours each year looking for a place to urinate or defecate, because they don't have access to a toilet.
To put these numbers in context:
That's 10 times more hours than all Americans spent sitting in traffic last year. It's twice the total time spent by all 81 million Netflix subscribers watching content last year. It's approximately 10 times more than the total number of hours Americans spend responding to Federal paperwork, such as from the IRS.
Think of all that be accomplished if these women and girls could recapture the time they currently spend collecting and carrying water or searching for a safe, private toilet.
Stories
Women and girls from all over the world are affected by lack of WASH. Here are a few of their stories:
Resources
Want more facts on the obstacles women and girls face every day due to lack of clean water and a safe toilet? Check out our fact sheet.
Looking for an easy way to share what you've learned with your family and friends? Download our infographic.
Girl Strong playlist
For those of you looking for full commitment to the Girl Strong experience, check out our Spotify playlist
Learn more
Listen as our very own Cecile Shrestha takes NPR listeners to Nepal to experience chaupadi.
Write to congress
International development assistance is an efficient investment in peace, security, democracy, public health and economic productivity worldwide.
Write to your representatives and urge them to continue the bipartisan spirit of international aid. Your support is critical to the work we do for women and girls around the world.
Want to follow Girl Strong?
Sign up for Girl Strong updates