Seven Ways the Water Crisis in Gaza is Hurting Women

<jats:p>This briefing note examines the gendered impacts of the collapse of water, sanitation and hygiene services in Gaza. Drawing on interviews with 21 displaced women and girls from across the Gaza Strip, alongside a review of humanitarian evidence, it documents how severe water shortages are affecting women’s health, safety and daily survival. The note identifies seven dimensions of the crisis, including chronic water scarcity, the burden of water collection, heightened risks for widows and female-headed households, barriers faced by women with disabilities and older women, the challenges confronting pregnant and breastfeeding women, the impacts on menstrual hygiene management, and increased protection risks and psychological distress. Women’s testimonies reveal how the destruction of WASH infrastructure and restrictions on essential supplies have deepened existing inequalities. The note concludes with recommendations for states, donors and humanitarian actors to support gender-responsive, rights-based WASH recovery and ensure safe and equitable access to water and sanitation.</jats:p>