25 Million Lives a Year Could be Saved With Clean Water and Proper Sanitation

Photo courtesy: luigig at Flickr/CC BY 3.0

One thing that becomes absolutely crystal clear if you either know me or read this blog is that I am a fanatic about clean drinking water for all. Every living soul on this planet should have access to clean, pure drinking water; but, sadly this is not the case and there are billions that don't.

You also probably know that I support four World Vision children. Two of my kids are in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the same project actually. While I send parcels containing colouring books, art supplies, candies, puzzles;and, the like I also send sanitary supplies (bandages, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc). My little fellow, that is a good communicator, shared how fortunate his entire family felt that I sent soap as part of their packages. They could afford some soap; but, not as much as they would like.

Very humbling, that is. I think of all the things I buy without being concerned about price - a bar of soap for example; and, they have to ration their soap.

A new report from WaterAid states the case for the need for immediate action on safe water and improved sanitation globally, as well as a continued commitment to investing in those same areas for the long-term.

“The need for action is overwhelming and the current situation where 37% of the world’s population still live without a toilet is unacceptable.” - David Winder, CEO of WaterAid America

In the report, Saving lives: sanitation and water for all would save 2.5 million lives, the authors say that the majority of developing countries are seriously off-track on meeting the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) - halving the number of people living without safe water by 2015 - and will not meet that target anytime soon. Some places, such as Sub-Saharan Africa, will not be able to meet the target for over 150 years at the current rate.

The WaterAid report also says "the poor quality of sanitation and lack of access to safe drinking water causes 1.4 million child deaths every year, due to diarrhea, and that these deaths are preventable". The second biggest killer of children worldwide is diarrhea, which is caused by a lack of adequate sanitation and unsafe drinking water.

The report's findings come at a critical time, as the Sanitation and Water for All meeting in Washington (April 20) brings together 70 government ministers from over 60 countries to discuss the global water and sanitation crisis.

One focus of this meeting is to specifically call on the world's leaders to keep their own sanitation promises, as well as support the 57 countries which are currently most off-track to meeting their MDG sanitation targets.

"We now have an opportunity to do something about the current situation. This week there is a critical meeting in Washington where real progress on improving sanitation and water can be made. Progress on both fronts is essential to saving children’s lives and to delivering social and economic development." - Winder

WaterAid is an international development agency working on global water and sanitation issues. Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) is a partnership of governments, donors, civil society and multilateral organizations, working to ensure that all people have access to basic sanitation and safe drinking water.

World Water Day - March 22

All images courtesy: Prix Prictet

World Water Day, celebrated on March 22 every year, is an initiative of the United Nations recognizing that life cannot exist without water. This year's theme: "Shared Water - Shared Opportunities" and "Whether we live upstream or downstream, we are all in the same boat." Considering the emerging hostilities surrounding increasing water shortages, the theme seems very apropos this year.

The images captured by Munem Wasif detail in stark black and white the daily impact the scarcity of clean, safe water on the people living in poorer, more rural communities. The title of Mr. Wasif’s exhibition is: “Salt Water Tears: Lives Left Behind in Satkhira, Bangladesh.” Bangladesh is one of the most at-risk countries for flooding, droughts, and scarcity of potable water in the world. If a picture is worth a thousand words; then, surely, Mr. Wasif’s images are worth five thousand words.

The gutwrenching exhibition is supported by the prestigious Prix Pictet and WaterAid. WaterAid is a UK charity which helps communities in the developing world gain access to safe water as well as sanitation and hygiene education. Currently in Bangladesh over 65 million of the total population 0f 140 million have no access to basic sanitation.

Mr. Wasif was commissioned to photograph a project managed by the charity in the Satkhira region in south-west Bangladesh. The lives of the people living there have been destroyed by increased salinity in the water table.

Cows paddle through water in search of pasture. Bolabaria, Satkhira. 2009

A boat sits idle on once-fertile land now barren from salinity. Gabura, Satkhira. 2008

The sweetwater pond that supplies the drinking water is 2 hours away. This woman needs to come here twice a day. Bolabaria, Satkhira. 2009

A mother holds her unconscious child. The child has a tumour on his/her back. The husband will not return home that day. He is fishing to support his family. Chuna, Satkhira. 2008

After viewing Mr. Wasif's revealing photos, I know I feel very blessed to be able to turn on my tap and have clean, drinking water whenever I want. It's a right I'll not give up easily.

Next blog: Ways we can make a difference!