This article is about how to fill the gender gap in uganda's water crisis

2025 had been a challenging yet productive year for World Vision in South Sudan. Despite funding cuts and growing humanitarian needs, we pressed on—guided by our faith and our commitment to serve. The year had been a testament that when Christ is placed at the centre of our work, hope endures and impact is possible, even in the most difficult circumstances.

International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026 calls for “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls.” (United Nations). In Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia, these words resonate in contexts where drought and conflict collide - driving displacement, hunger, and protection risks while stretching already fragile services for women and girls. As the Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG), we issue this joint call to recognise and respond to the compounded realities facing women and girls across these crises.

On World Water Day 2026, East Asia stands at a critical crossroads. Climate change is transforming water, once a foundation of economic growth and social stability, into one of the region’s sharpest drivers of inequality. And this inequality is not evenly felt. It falls hardest on women and girls, children, persons with disabilities, and rural and marginalised communities whose access to safe water was already fragile. By Alexander Pandian, WASH Programmes Senior Advisor, World Vision East Asia

In Mabalane, Mozambique, improved access to safe water is transforming lives, reducing long walks, restoring dignity, and creating new opportunities for families.

The EPIC project in Juba County empowers displaced families like Rejoice Poni’s through savings groups and affordable loans. By building trust in financial institutions and supporting small businesses, EPIC strengthens livelihoods, restores dignity, and promotes resilience among vulnerable urban households in South Sudan.

In Diapangou, Burkina Faso, safe water transforms life for 1,500 pupils. New WASH facilities improve health and school attendance for local children and families.

Our presence in Somalia since 1993 has enabled us to establish and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders in the WASH sector. This includes the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (MoEWR), a crucial partner, as well as other line ministries at federal, regional and state levels, the private sector, local partners, the Somalia WASH Cluster, UN agencies, and community actors. The sector’s model seamlessly integrates with other sectors to contribute to child wellbeing outcomes •WASH and health & nutrition •WASH and livelihoods •WASH and education •WASH and child protection & participation Our WASH sector is led by a multidisciplinary team of professional civil and water engineers, sanitation and hygiene specialists, M&E experts, and GIS specialists, collectively driving the sector’s vision and strategic objective