WHO/UNICEF: “Our lifetime opportunity to enable water, sanitation and hygiene for all”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) call on all nations to radically accelerate action to make water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) a reality for all.

In a joint statement released on World Water Day, 22 March 2023, WHO and UNICEF call for urgent action to achieve universal access to WASH, highlighting the need to address inequalities in access. 

The health, social and economic consequences of inadequate water and sanitation services are devastating. Access to safe water and sanitation, for individuals and societies alike, are key to healthy development in children and for sustaining wellbeing as adults. They also offer a pathway to broader social and economic progress by supporting community health and productivity.

WHO and UNICEF set out a number of “viable solutions” for governments to take, with support from UN agencies, multilateral partners, the private sector and civil society organizations