The factors associated with women’s access to water for household use in sub-saharan Africa: a comparison between Burundi and Nigeria

Abstract

Water is vital to human life. A region or society without access to clean water is detrimental to human health and development. As the world’s population grows rapidly, households increasingly need reliable, clean drinking water. Safe drinking water promotes the population's survival, well-being, and overall functioning in various aspects of daily life. Lack of access to improved drinking water is a problem affecting young girls and women in Africa. The availability of clean, safe drinking water will reduce water scarcity in households and avoid the need to invest valuable, productive time in collecting water for household consumption. Every society needs improved drinking water sources to fulfil daily tasks and to advance Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which aims to provide "universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all" by 2030. The availability of potable water near households in both urban and rural areas is crucial to promoting SDG 5, which focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. Extended travel to access drinking water for household consumption remains a significant challenge in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, particularly in Burundi and Nigeria. In determining the household's source of drinking water, the gender of the head of the household plays a significant role. This study utilised the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted in Nigeria in 2018 and in Burundi in 2017. In accordance with established procedures, the secondary data was requested from the DHS website, and access was duly granted. To perform the analysis, datasets were analysed using IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 30.0.0.0 (172). initially through univariate analysis, such as frequency distribution of a single variable; bivariate analysis, and Chi-squared including cross-tabulation of multiple variables testing to assess the association between variables (types of drinking water, travel times to access drinking water, age, educational level, marital status, place of residence, employment status, household wealth and household members); and Logistic regression analysis to identify the factors influencing women's access to drinking water. The study exclusively considered women-headed households aged 15 to 49 in Nigeria and Burundi, with households serving as the unit of analysis. Using logistic regression, we examine various demographic and socioeconomic factors, including age, education, marital status, residential location, occupational status, wealth index, and household composition, to investigate women’s access to household water in Burundi and Nigeria.