Women and girls in Nairobi’s informal settlements are reportedly being pressured into sex in exchange for water or preferential access to it, a practice known as sextortion. The article highlights how unreliable, costly water supplies can turn a basic necessity into a means of exploitation, leaving those affected to choose between safety and their families’ daily needs.

Water is often sold through private vendors or controlled by local cartels, with long queues and shortages increasing their power over residents. Campaigners say the abuse is under-reported because of stigma and fear, and argue that reliable public water services, accountability for suppliers and support for survivors are needed to prevent it.