World water development report warns that access is major source of conflict between countries
Women and girls are the first to suffer when drought strikes poor and rural areas, and water strategies around the world must reflect this, the UN has said in a plea to countries to mend conflicts over water resources.
Stress on water resources, which is being exacerbated by the climate crisis, as well as overuse and pollution of the world’s freshwater systems, is a large source of conflict, according to the latest UN world water development report.
The impacts of sharing water, and the possibilities of harnessing cooperation over water resources into wider peace strategies, are often overlooked, the report’s authors found. Better cooperation over freshwater access would also play a role in improving the lives of women and girls.
Women and girls carry primary responsibility for water collection in poor and rural areas around the world, and a lack of safe sanitation is a factor in girls dropping out of education, and increases their vulnerability and that of women.
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Unesco’s message is clear: if we want to preserve peace, we must act swiftly not only to safeguard water resources but also to enhance regional and global cooperation in this area.”
Hundreds of thousands of children are in severe hunger or facing near-famine in Gaza, while a lack of clean water is increasing thirst as well as disrupting medical treatment and hygiene.
Connor also said: “International humanitarian law, including the Geneva convention, explicitly prohibits the targeting of civilian water infrastructure.
Nearly half of the world’s population lacks access to hygienic sanitation, and about 2.2 billion people cannot rely on a safe supply of drinking water.
These levels of unmet need around the world have increased markedly over the past two decades, despite being targeted as one of the UN’s sustainable development goals for 2030.
In 2022 about half of the world’s population experienced severe water scarcity for at least part of the year, and between 2002 and 2021 droughts afflicted more than 1.4 billion people.
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