UN Women and Japan Support Women Facing Drought and Saltwater Intrusion in South Vietnam

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Women in Ca Mau receive water tanks from the project.

Facing severe drought, significant saltwater intrusion, and a heightened risk of wildfires, Ca Mau and Ninh Thuan are among Vietnam’s most climate-vulnerable regions. In Ca Mau, saltwater intrusion in 2020 affected over 29,644 hectares of cropland, drastically reducing rice and vegetable yields and costing an estimated VND 107 billion. Rising water scarcity has forced over 20,000 households to buy water at high prices, affecting their ability to spend on other essentials. In Ninh Thuan, prolonged droughts led to over 7,873 hectares of farmland being abandoned between 2019-2020. With surface and groundwater sources drying up, around 110,000 livestock have suffered malnutrition or died from lack of water and food.

Due to water scarcity, women in the provinces of Ca Mau and Ninh Thuan spend an additional two to three hours each day collecting water. A lack of clean water contributes to the spread of infectious diseases, especially impacting children and pregnant women, and old people.

Addressing the severe consequences of drought and saltwater intrusion, on Nov. 5, UN Women and the Government of Japan joined forces to assist 7,200 inhabitants, with a focus on vulnerable women, in the provinces of Ca Mau and Ninh Thuan.

Ito Naoki, the Ambassador of Japan to Vietnam at the event.

This is part of the “Water is Life” initiative, funded by the Government of Japan and led by UN Women in collaboration with the Women’s Unions of Ca Mau and Ninh Thuan. The project runs from 2024 to 2025. By providing water storage tanks, filtration systems, efficient water-saving equipment, and targeted communication programs, this initiative will enhance women’s sustainable access to clean and agricultural water, and improve their livelihoods.

As part of this project, UN Women and the Government of Japan are providing water tanks to households and filtration systems to schools and health centers to improve sanitation for children and local residents. Furthermore, this project is creating linkages with private sector investors in water-saving technologies, with a commitment to empowering women, as the province continues to pursue long-term solutions to this climate-induced disaster. With the Government of Japan’s support, it is estimated that 7,200 people, especially vulnerable women, will benefit from these efforts.

From November 5 till the end of Dec 2024, over 420 women in Khanh Binh Tay Commune, Tran Van Thoi District, Ca Mau, received water storage tanks to help reduce time spent on water collection, lighten caregiving burdens, and protect family health. Additionally, 200 women with a need to improve agricultural irrigation systems will receive financial support for water-saving irrigation equipment, following the declaration of a level 2 drought emergency on the water situation.

“We hope that this project will improve access to clean water for women and children living in the province of Ca Mau, and that this will lead to the revitalization of agriculture and other industries in the province, as well as to the securing of livelihoods for women in vulnerable positions”, said Ito Naoki, the Ambassador of Japan to Vietnam.

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