Biomedical facilities in Kibera have been treating more women than men, which speaks volumes to how vulnerable women within this slum are to inadequate sanitation. Women in Kibera are mainly expected to take on responsibilities in regards to household food preparation and child care. This is a prime reason why proper hygiene is so crucial, especially in the cramped living spaces of the Kibera slum. Hand washing does not have value in these circumstances women working as housekeepers and homemakers struggle and suffer to make ends meet. Lack of adequate sanitation and awareness of importance has man women saving water for meal preparation in lieu of hand washing.
Inadequate sanitation is a vicious cycle for these women who undervalue it and and are unable to maintain cleanliness in their everyday lives, whether it be cooking or relieving themselves. As a result, they inadvertently pose a greater health risk for themselves and their children when disease and bacteria are able to efficiently spread within living spaces and their ingested food and water. Women will report having episodic or chronic cases of diarrhea which severely inhibits their ability to absorb proper nutrients from their food leading to malnutrition. This is an immense concern for pregnant women who will give birth to underweight babies that will grow up and face similar struggles thus perpetuating the dangerous cycle they are trapped in.
Via Worldreader.org
Women and girls are reporting missing school due to a lack of sanitary resources during their menstruation. Girls often report feeling embarrassed and ashamed while on their periods. They will often use tissue paper that has poor absorbency and they will bleed through their clothing. They are missing out on an education for the mere fact that they are female. This fundamental flaw in Kibera is a reason for the many structural societal and economic problems it faces today. Education is essential for any thriving society and is compromised for young girls worldwide.
Corburn, J. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, Volume 2015 (2015), Article ID 209505, 6 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/209505