Special Rapporteur on Water and Sanitation receives 61,000 signatures: ‘Sex for water must stop’
Having to have sex in exchange for drinking water. It happens, and it is unacceptable! On 11 December, Simavi delivered this message to Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, the UN Special Rapporteur on water and sanitation, in Geneva.
As a result of increasing water scarcity and a lack of water supplies, women are being pressured to have sex in exchange for water. With the petition Stop Sex for Water, Simavi is drawing attention to this terrible human rights violation.
By campaigning, Simavi has collected over 61,000 signatures so far. In Geneva, Simavi’s lobby & advocacy officer Esin Erdoğan spoke not only with the Special Rapporteur on water and sanitation, but also with staff members of the Special Rapporteur against violence against women and the Special Rapporteur on climate change.
Simavi’s strategic partner Sareen Malik of the African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation (ANEW) also spoke to the Special Rapporteur: ‘What we do not realise is that after a woman has had to exchange sex for water, she has to drink from this abuse, cook with it for her children, wash herself with this abuse. This really has to stop.’
Water is a human right
The aim of Simavi's campaign is to put the subject of sextortion on the international agenda. 'Water is a human right and should never be used as a means of extortion, corruption or sextortion. Women and girls must be protected from the extreme consequences of the water crisis', says Esin Erdoğan.
That is why she asked the Special Rapporteur on behalf of Simavi to address governments about this violation of the rights of women and girls. International recognition of this problem is also important to encourage local NGOs and women's organisations in countries where this is an issue to raise this subject - which is often very sensitive or flatly denied.
Driving force behind this fight
Pedro Arrojo-Agudo: 'It is hard to imagine that women and girls have sex in exchange for drinking water, but it is true and it is terrible.' The Special Rapporteur expressed his gratitude to the more than 61,000 people who signed Simavi's petition Stop Sex for Water. 'You have my full support for the work you are doing. You are the driving force behind this fight. I can help as much as I can. One way is to investigate cases of sextortion and to officially hold governments accountable for their responsibility to safeguard the human rights to water and sanitation.’
‘The mere fact that people have to walk long distances or wait in long lines for water is a violation of the human right to water. And we know that women and girls are particularly at risk of violence and sextortion.’
