In Kenya’s largest slum, Kibera, women are often pressured to provide sex in exchange for water due to extreme poverty and lack of access to clean water. This practice, known as “sextortion,” has become a harsh reality for many women who cannot afford the high cost of water in the area.
The issue affects women like Saly Amutwayi and Mariam Hassan, who have both experienced sexual violence while trying to collect water for their households. Amutwayi recounts an incident where she was harassed by water vendors who tried to force her into a nearby alley, while Hassan describes a similar experience where a man led her to his home and attempted to rape her.
Sex for Water Crisis
In Kibera, residents rely on private vendors who control access to water and set prices, creating a system that allows for exploitation and coercion. Rights groups argue that this dependence on private vendors has created conditions in which women who cannot afford water face harassment, assault, or coercion, including pressure to exchange sex for water.
The problem is exacerbated by drought and water shortages, which have become more frequent in recent years. During these times, water becomes scarce and expensive, increasing the risk of harassment and sexual violence against women. Zubedah Hassan, a champion for the Stop Sex for Water program, notes that poverty and drought are the main challenges facing women in Kibera.
After years of advocacy, the issue of “sextortion” has finally reached Kenya’s Parliament, with lawmakers taking up the issue for the first time in 2024. Campaigners see this as a breakthrough for a form of gender-based violence that has long gone unaddressed.
Seeking Justice and Change
Women like Amutwayi and Hassan are speaking out against the practice, calling for education and awareness to prevent such incidents. They also want to see men included in the conversations around sexual violence, with Amutwayi stating that “the boys need classes” to learn about the issue.
The Kenyan government has sponsored water kiosks in Kibera, but the problem persists. Billy Misuga, a worker at one of these kiosks, notes that people are often forced to fight for water, and he sometimes lets them fill their containers even if they cannot pay. As the issue continues to affect women in Kibera, it highlights the need for greater access to clean and safe water, as guaranteed by Kenya’s Constitution.
The struggle for access to clean water and the resulting exploitation of women in Kibera is a stark reminder of the need for systemic change and greater awareness of the issue, and its broader significance lies in the fact that it is a symptom of a larger problem of poverty and lack of access to basic resources.
