UN warns billions still lack safe water as inequalities deepen
The United Nations has raised the alarm over persistent inequalities in access to drinking water, warning that billions of people, many of them women and girls, remain without access to a resource the organization considers a fundamental human right.
A report titled "Water for All: Equal Rights and Access," presented last Thursday in New York, found that approximately 2.2 billion people worldwide still lack access to safely managed drinking water services. The 2026 edition of the UN World Water Development Report detailed that in 2024, 2.1 billion people lacked safe drinking water, 3.4 billion had no access to adequate sanitation services, and 1.7 billion were without basic hygiene facilities at home.
The report noted that these disparities fall disproportionately on the most vulnerable populations, particularly women and children. In many regions, women and girls bear the primary responsibility for collecting water, often at the expense of their education and economic independence, while also facing heightened personal risks, the authors wrote.
More broadly, the UN underscored the need to fully recognize water as a universal right. Ensuring equitable access to water and sanitation is essential to reducing inequalities, improving public health, and advancing sustainable development, the report stated, calling on governments to strengthen policies and increase investment in the sector.
The document also highlighted challenges related to governance and climate change. Nearly half the world's population faces water scarcity for at least part of the year, according to its findings. Growing pressure on water resources demands stronger cooperation between countries and inclusive management involving all stakeholders, the authors recommended.
The report called for large-scale investment to close existing gaps, warning that without urgent action, water access inequalities risk worsening and undermining global efforts to combat poverty and build climate resilience. It urged the international community to make equitable access to water an absolute priority.
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