© UN Photo / Kibae Park CLEAN AND : 3 in 10 WHY IT MATTERS people lack access to What’s the goal here? of that is fecally contaminated. To ensure access to safely Some 2.4 billion people safe water sources and lack access to basic san- sanitation for all. itation services, such as managed toilets or latrines. Water Why? scarcity affects more than drinking water Access to water, sanitation 40 per cent of the global and is a human population and is projected services right, yet billions are still to rise. More than 80 per faced with daily chal- cent of wastewater result- lenges accessing even the ing from human activities most basic of services. is discharged into rivers or sea without any treat- Around 1.8 billion peo- ment, leading to pollution. ple globally use a source What are the of the 140 countries What can we do? effects of this? included in its study. Civil society organi- Water and sanitation- What would it cost if we zations should work related diseases remain don’t correct the problem? to keep governments among the major causes The costs are huge– accountable, invest in of death in children under both for people and water research and devel- five; more than 800 for the economy. opment, and promote children die every day the inclusion of women, from diarrhoeal diseases Worldwide, more than 2 youth and indigenous linked to poor hygiene. million people die every communities in water year from diarrhoeal dis- resources governance. Proper water and eases. Poor hygiene and sanitation is a key unsafe water are respon- Generating awareness foundation for achiev- sible for nearly 90 per of these roles and turn- ing the Sustainable cent of these deaths and ing them into action will Development Goals, mostly affect children. lead to win-win results including good health and increased sustain- and gender equality. The economic impact ability and integrity of not investing in water for both human and By managing our water and sanitation costs 4.3 ecological systems. sustainably, we are also per cent of sub-Saharan able to better manage our African GDP. The World You can also get involved production of food and Bank estimates that 6.4 in the World Water Day energy and contribute per cent of India’s GDP is and to decent work and eco- lost due to adverse eco- campaigns that aim to nomic growth. Moreover, nomic impacts and costs provide information and we can preserve our of inadequate sanitation. inspiration to take action water , their on hygiene issues. biodiversity, and take Without better infrastruc- action on . ture and management, To find out more millions of people will about Goal #6 and What would it cost to continue to die every year the other Sustainable correct the problem? and there will be further Development Goals, visit: losses in biodiversity and A study by the World http://www.un.org/ resilience, Bank Group, UNICEF sustainabledevelopment and the World Health undermining prosperity Organization estimates and efforts towards a wateractiondecade.org that extending basic more sustainable future. water and sanitation services to the unserved would cost US$28.4 bil- lion per year from 2015 to 2030, or 0.10 per cent of the global product