World Water Day is observed every year on March 22 to highlights the importance of freshwater. The day advocates sustainable management of freshwater resources. World Water Day is celebrated around the world with the aid of various events such as those which are educational, theatrical, musical or lobbying in nature.
UN-Water is the convener for World Water Day and each year it selects a theme in consultation with UN organizations.
The theme for 2019 World Water Day is “Leaving no one behind”.
It is an adaptation of the promise of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development, the Sustainable Development Goal 6 is aimed to achieve water for all by the year 2030, hence the theme.
2/3rd world population could be under stress due to water scarcity by 2025
According to the UN, Billions of people are still living without safe water – their households, schools, workplaces, farms and factories struggling to survive and thrive. Marginalized groups – women, children, refugees, indigenous peoples, disabled people and many others – are often overlooked, and sometimes face discrimination, as they try to access and manage the safe water they need.
This World Water Day, 22nd March, is about tackling the water crisis by addressing the reasons why so many people are being left behind.
The worldwaterday.org list the problems faced throughout the world due to unavailability of water:
- 2.1 billion people live without safe water at home.
- One in four primary schools have no drinking water service, with pupils using unprotected sources or going thirsty.
- More than 700 children under five years of age die every day from diarrhoea linked to unsafe water and poor sanitation.
- Globally, 80% of the people who have to use unsafe and unprotected water sources live in rural areas.
- Women and girls are responsible for water collection in eight out of ten households with water off-premises.
- For the 68.5 million people who have been forced to flee their homes, accessing safe water services is highly problematic.
- Around 159 million people collect their drinking water from surface water, such as ponds and streams.
- Around 4 billion people – nearly two-thirds of the world’s population – experience severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year.
- Over 800 women die every day from complications in pregnancy and childbirth.
- 700 million people worldwide could be displaced by intense water scarcity by 2030.
According to the 2016 annual report by UN-water, the World Water Day campaign and related publications reached millions of people through social media, dedicated websites and other channels: The UN-Water annual report states that social media engagement (hashtag #WorldWaterDay) had a maximum potential reach of 1.6 billion people worldwide in 2016.
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