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HarborLAB is honored and deeply grateful that the United Nations Federal Credit Union is one of our founding and sustaining sponsors. Our very local work is always done with a global consciousness.

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United Nations World Water Day falls within Women’s History Month, and 2015 is the capstone year of the UN “Water for Life Decade for Action.” How do these calls to be conscious of water issues and women’s history relate? The United Nations and the U.S. State Department respect that women have always been among our global water leaders. Recognition of this fact clarifies that we must strive for gender equality (men and women, and all aspects of gender identification and socialization) through education and empowerment if we are to share a sustainable water future.

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Women have kept traditional societies alive since the dawn of history by finding, assessing, and delivering water to their communities. Even today, women are the primary providers of water in much of the world. Collectively women labor 200 million hours each day carrying water, in much of the world walking an average of 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) to access this life giving resource. But that labor isn’t always rewarded with clean water or power commensurate with their contributions.

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Action:

HarborLAB encourages educators to make us of these resources from the United Nations for kids and youth. There are additional resources for educations here.

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We might also consider this idea:  Imagine a Women and Water Walk up Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, from the fountain at Washington Square Park to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, pausing before its famous fountains at Rockefeller Center, the Plaza Hotel, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It would be a 6K-Plus walk honoring the walks women make for water each day. It could raise funds, or simply awareness. What do you think?