World Water Day: 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water
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Today is World Water Day. Solving the problem of water shortages, and guaranteeing that the water is safe are common global issues. Around 2.2 billion people are living without access to safe water. In northern Ghana, many women travel long distances to fetch water, which can take a toll on their health and livelihoods. Activists are making this a focus of their campaign for better access to safe water. Nabil Ahmed Rufai reports.

Salamatu Simon walks more than 2 kilometers everyday to collect water. This dam is the only source of it where she lives – in the Northern region of Ghana. She'll use the water for drinking and cooking.

SALAMATU SIMON Northern Ghana Resident "I'm not able to get enough water for my daily use because of the long distance from my house to the dam. When I make one trip, I get tired and sometimes find it difficult to go to the farm."

Access to water is not evenly distributed in Ghana. While people in urban areas have access to clean water, millions in rural areas rely on supplies that are polluted. In the Northern region of Ghana, women join long queues to get water from boreholes.

SAMATA YUSSIF Northern Ghana Resident "I process rice and sell for a living so I always need water. But these days due to the scarcity of water, I'm not able to process the rice because I spend all day fetching water."

The United Nations says only 24 percent of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa has access to safe drinking water. And it's usually women who travel long distances to collect it for household needs.

NABIL AHMED RUFAI Fooshegu, Ghana "People in this community share this source of water with cattle. During the dry season, the dam is depleted and these women have to walk extra kilometers in search of water."

This source of water leaves people vulnerable to illness and disease. And the long hours the women spend to fetch it affects their livelihoods, widening the inequality gap. UNESCO estimates that women spend at least 16 million hours daily collecting water – compared to 6 million hours for men.

MAJIRU FUSEINI Northern Ghana Resident "If we get potable water connected to our homes, our women can take better care of the home."

The government says it has constructed more than 400 dams across the country to improve access to water in rural areas. But activists say the project has not been sustainable, as most of the dams have dried up. They want the government to invest in other technologies to provide safe water to people in rural areas.

PATRICK APOYA Water Consultant "We must find a way of impounding surface water to treat for them. And yet we say the cost is so high and we cannot exploit the water. So if we can put a value on water, it is more than the money you are spending. It means everything to the community, to their culture, to their way of life, education and agriculture."

It may take years for Salamatu's home to be connected to pipe water. She and other residents have to continue making long trips to collect water from this polluted dam. But they hope to get their water treated right from the source soon to help reduce illnesses and diseases. Nabil Ahmed Rufai, CGTN, Northern region of Ghana.