A’Ibom community stops menstruating women, twin mothers from accessing drinking water

Mbiabet Ikot Udo community in Ini Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State has barred menstruating women and mothers of twin babies from accessing a stream; its only source of drinking water.

The Coordinator Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH)-Gender Project Team, Prof. Emmanuel Akpabio, who disclosed this yesterday, said the community believes that the water would dry up if twin mothers and menstruating women access water from the stream.

Prof. Akpabio, who is the Director, Directorate of International Programmes, Univeristy of Uyo, said the discovery was a product of research conducted in three local government areas of the state.

He said the belief has been perpetrated over generations unchallenged in the affected community due to the shortage of drinking water and fear that the sole source of drinking water in the areas would be contaminated.

The professor, who noted that the lack of access to WaSH constrains women, girls and other vulnerable individuals from engaging in economic and educational activities, called for strong public intervention in providing water for such communities, adding that it would also tackle the problem of open defecation

“For Mbiabet Ikot Udo, there is only a single source of drinking but stagnant water (idim Affia) sustained through under surface outflow with brown coloration.

“This serves an estimated population of 1,200 and six more villages (over 6,000 people) in the dry season when other available sources would have dried off. This water source is also obtained for domestic and other needs.

“Mothers of twin children are restricted from accessing this water. We were told the stream would spew all manner of impurities and strange substances and gradually dry off any time it is accessed by a mother of twins, and only comes back to normalcy once sacrifices/rituals are performed by the community.

“Women in their menstrual cycles are also traditionally restricted from having access to the stream, and the consequence for violation is prolonged blood discharge.

“The victims can only get water through their spouses, children, paid services or voluntary support from members of the community.

“Where they cannot get any support, they will stay without water for that period,” Akpabio said.

He disclosed that the practice has fueled gender-based discrimination in access to WaSH services and subjected women to psycho-social and other forms of gender-based violence, which would in turn affect their health.

According to him, the discrimination was pronounced in ecologically fragile and difficult areas where WaSH infrastructures for public use are severely limited, adding that intersectional factors like biology, disability, socio-cultural norms and economic circumstances also complicate the problem.

“Our attention was drawn to the challenges of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) in the study communities. There have been so much misconception, myths and gaps in knowledge and awareness around MHM for women and girls.

“When women and girls are denied access to water on account of menstruation, when they have to walk long distances to access WaSH facilities, or when acute water scarcity forces reliance on available but usually of degradable quality sources, their right to decent, hygienic and sanitary living is severely compromised, creating avenues for possibilities for diseases outbreaks.

“The stress of having to contend with stigmatization and extra physical and mental efforts to secure sanitary living translates to serious psychosocial violence.

“MHM needs adequate access to water, soap, sanitary towels and safe space for using water and changing menstrual towels. Majority of women and girls in our rural areas neither afford nor have access to these basic necessities.

“When women in their menstrual cycles are denied access to water and safe spaces for menstrual hygiene management as in Mbiabet Ikot Udo, they are directly and indirectly subjected to psychosocial and other forms of gender-based violence, as well as affect their health, as they struggle to make up for such deprivation.

“Their human dignity is severely violated, and they lack the voice and capacity to surmount such challenges,” Akpabio said.