World Water Day, 22 March

“World Water Day, held on 22 March every year since 1993, focuses on the importance of freshwater.

World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.

Today, water is under extreme threat from a growing population, increasing demands of agriculture and industry, and the worsening impacts of climate change.

As societies balance the demands on water resources, many people’s interests are not being taken into account.” (https://www.un.org/en/observances/water-day)

Water for use at home. Photo by Alex Radelich on Unsplash

“This year’s theme World Water Day is about what water means to people, it’s true value and how we can better protect this vital resource. The value of water is about much more than its price – water has enormous and complex value for our households, culture, health, education, economics and the integrity of our natural environment. If we overlook any of these values, we risk mismanaging this finite, irreplaceable resource.” (https://www.un.org/en/observances/water-day)

“As we observe World Water Day, we should remember the 4.2 billion living without access to adequate sanitation. We can reduce this number by supporting projects that aim to provide access to adequate sanitation. We can do this and succeed with our collective efforts. Happy World Water Day.” – Kean Smith

4.2 billion people lack safe sanitation. How many?

Today is World Toilet Day. According to the following statistics from the United Nations, the inadequacy of poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water is significant:

  1. Over half of the global population or 4.2 billion people lack safe sanitation;
  2. 40% – or three billion people – of the global population live without basic handwashing facilities with soap and water available at home;
  3. Around 297,000 children under five – more than 800 every day – die annually from diarrheal diseases due to poor hygiene, poor sanitation or unsafe drinking water;
  4. Globally, 80% of the wastewater generated by society flows back into the ecosystem without being treated or reused; and
  5. By 2050, up to 5.7 billion people could be living in areas where water is scarce for at least one month a year, creating unprecedented competition for water.

“Everyone must have sustainable sanitation, alongside clean water and handwashing facilities, to help protect and maintain our health security and stop the spread of deadly infectious diseases such as COVID-19, cholera, and typhoid.” (https://www.un.org/en/observances/toilet-day)

What’s it like in your country? In your community? In your world? Do you know anyone without a toilet or who lacks safe sanitation? I do. What are we going to do about this?

Presently, I am volunteering as Project Manager of a team that is in the process of funding and managing a WASH (Water Sanitation and Hygiene) project in Kisoro, Uganda at Matinza Primary School. The main aim of the project is to repair and build much needed toilets and latrines, and a water well.

You are invited to read one of my recent WASH articles entitled “World Toilet Day and lack of WASH in Uganda Schools” which was published on the Centre for African Justice Peace and Human Rights website.

So once again, all the best and do well.

Please feel free to direct any questions or comments to Kean Smith at kean@smithkas.com