WHO, UNICEF call for accelerated action on water sanitation, hygiene

The World Health Organisation and the United Nations Children’s Fund have called on all nations to radically accelerate action to make water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) a reality for all.

The two global organisations made the call in a joint statement in commemoration of the 2023 World Water Day, noting that many people around the world still lack access to water and sanitation services.

“The numbers are staggering – around the world, 2 billion people lack safe drinking water and 3.6 billion people – almost half the world’s population – use sanitation services that leave human waste untreated.

“Millions of children and families do not have adequate WASH services, including soap to wash their hands. The consequences can often be deadly.

“Each year at least 1.4 million people – many of them children – die from preventable causes linked to unsafe water and poor sanitation. Right now, for example, cholera is spreading in countries that have not had outbreaks in decades,” the statement said.

The two global bodies stated further that half of all healthcare facilities – where proper hygiene practices are especially critical – lack water and soap or alcohol-based hand sanitising solutions, noting that the social and economic consequences of inadequate water and sanitation services are also devastating.

“Without these critical services, people fall ill, children miss out on learning – especially girls – and entire communities can be displaced by water scarcity.

“At the same time, the benefits of access to safe water and sanitation, for individuals and societies alike, are beyond measure. These services are key to healthy development in children and for sustaining well-being as adults. They also offer a pathway to broader social and economic progress by supporting community health and productivity.

“All of us have the right to safe water, proper sanitation and hygiene, yet so many go without. Collectively, the world needs to quadruple the current rates of progress at least in order to achieve universal access to safely managed WASH services by 2030. Progress needs to be even faster in fragile contexts and the poorest countries, to protect people’s health and futures. Fortunately, we have viable solutions and a historic opportunity to turn them into action,” WHO, UNICEF said.

WHO and UNICEF urge governments to take proactive actions to ensure citizens have access to safe clean water and sanitation services, noting that UN agencies, multilateral partners, the private sector and civil society organisations should help drive the needed change.  

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