3. Water is most definitely a women’s (mother’s) issue. Women and their children are disproportionately affected by water inaccessibility and waterborne disease. Contaminated water causes 90% of the deaths of children under age 5, but it also contributes to miscarriages and vaginal diseases, as well as chronic “common” disease such as intestinal parasites and diarrhea. This is borne out by our own data collection, particularly in Haiti. In developing countries, the work of fetching water falls almost exclusively to women and girls; in fact, the task of carrying water is often cited as a reason that girls cannot be spared to attend school. We hear over and over as well about women and girls who must pay, often with their bodies, to gain access to water for their families.