On Thursday, women activists and labour unionists stormed Alausa, Ikeja, the seat of Lagos state government, to present Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu with a petition claiming privatization of water constituted gender-based violence against women.
On the platform of the Our Water, Our Right Coalition, the women converged at the gate of Shoprite, where they marched to the state assembly.
They carried placards with messages such as “Our water is our right,” “Africa says no to water privatisation”, “Keep public water in public hands”, “Water privatisation is a burden to African women” and chanted solidarity songs.
In their petition to Governor Sanwo-Olu, they ask the state to reject all forms of corporate control of water and privatization of water services, including a public-private partnership.
Among their agitation is to respect, protect, and fulfil the human right to water for all people.
The women said African governments should instead look at regional bodies like the African Union, ECOWAS, Economic Community of Central African States and East African Development Community to foster collaboration by supporting public-public partnerships in the water sector.
Protesters stormed the state Assembly and demanded to see lawmakers in an attempt to get their message to the governor.
Eventually, Mr Hudenyin Kolawole, Director of Political Affairs, Office of Civic Engagement, Governor’s Office, came to take the petition.
In return, he promised to deliver it to the governor.
Women refused to yield, asking to see lawmakers.
CAPPA’s Aderonke Ige, Associate Director, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, says alternative solutions to privatization have been provided in a report entitled “Lagos Water Crisis: Alternative Roadmap for Water Sector”.
She argued, however, that copies of the report and other petitions had been delivered to the governor’s office, but no response had been received.
Despite this, Kolawole promised that unlike previous petitions from the women, this one would be delivered, the governor would respond, and an engagement would commence.
The march was part of the Africa Week of Action Against Water Privatization (October 11-15).
The women, on behalf of the Our Water Our Right Coalition, said that privatising water would be a direct attack on women who need clean, affordable water for their hygiene and homes.
Privatization, they feared, would leave them at the mercy of profit-driven businessmen.
Signatories to the petition are Veronica Nwanya, Coordinator, AWASHNET; Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA; Vicky Uremma, Executive Director, Child Health Organisation; and Betty Abbah, Executive Director, CEE-Hope.
The Our Water Our Right Coalition is a movement by CAPPA; Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees, AUPCTRE; Joint Action Front, JAF; Africa Women Water Sanitation and Hygiene Network, AWASHNET, and water justice advocates across Africa.
