UNICEF: 190 million children at risk from water crisis

The children’s charity UNICEF published its analysis in light of World Water Day on March 22, pointing to a “triple water crisis” in parts of Africa. This was triggered by a lack of drinking water and sanitation, high child mortality due to diseases caused by dirty water and high climate and environmental risks. Children in the states of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Somalia are particularly affected.

“Africa is facing a water disaster,” warned UNICEF program director Sanjay Wijesekera. “Devastating storms, floods and historic droughts are already destroying facilities and homes, contaminating water sources, causing hunger crises and spreading disease.” According to Wijesekera, the endangered regions are among the areas with the greatest water and climate insecurity in the world.

In addition, armed conflicts, especially in the Sahel region, would exacerbate the situation. In Burkina Faso, for example, attacks on water facilities have been reported to have increased for years. They are often sabotaged and deliberately polluted to drive people away. As a result, around 800,000 people – more than half of them children – lost access to clean drinking water last year.

Catastrophic hygiene conditions cost children’s lives

Every day, more than 1,000 children under the age of five die from diseases caused by unclean water, lack of sanitation and poor hygiene, according to the children’s charity. In particular, the diarrheal disease cholera is currently a danger. Six of the ten African hotspot countries were confronted with cholera outbreaks last year.

In the worst-hit countries, nearly a third of children are reported to have no access to at least a basic supply of clean water at home. Two thirds do not have basic sanitary facilities and a quarter of the children are forced to use the outdoors as a toilet. Hygiene is also limited, since three quarters of the children cannot wash their hands with soap and water at home, according to UNICEF.

Water supply part of the development goals

The three-day UN water conference in New York begins on Wednesday. With a view to the meeting, the aid organization calls for more investment in water, sanitation and hygiene supply as well as climate protection. In addition, the states and countries that have been hit hardest by the crisis must be prioritized in the political guidelines and aid programs.

Access to clean water and sanitation services is a human right and is one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals set out in the 2030 Agenda. The summit should determine how the goals of the agenda can be implemented more quickly, it said.

fwu/se (epd, afp, kna, dpa)