Sextortion: That's the threat for women who are simply trying to buy clean water
Women living in Kibera, Kenya, face systemic sexual exploitation, known as 'sextortion,' when attempting to access clean water. Rights groups and local advocates are pushing for legislative action to address this gender-based violence as water scarcity worsens.
Why it matters
It highlights the intersection of infrastructure failure, water scarcity, and gender-based violence in informal settlements.
Early one morning, Saly Amutwayi unlocks the door to her small hair salon. Inside, the walls are painted a faded blue, with posters of braided hairstyles curled at the edges.
The salon is in Kibera, the African continent's largest slum, just a few miles from central Nairobi, Kenya's capital and largest city.
Before clients arrive, Amutwayi speaks quietly with her friend Mariam Hassan. Like many women in Kibera, they are responsible for collecting water for their households — a task that can take hours each day. And like many women in Kibera, both say they have experienced sexual violence while trying to get it.
"When there is no water," Amutwayi says, "everything becomes dangerous."
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in