UN: A quarter of the world's population lacks access to safe drinking water and sanitation

Despite progress made over the past decade, billions of people around the world still lack access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, leaving them vulnerable to disease and social exclusion, according to a UN report released on Tuesday, August 26.

The report, released by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to mark World Water Week, highlights the persistent problem of water insecurity for vulnerable communities that face the greatest inequalities.

An estimated 2.1 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water, with 106 million people worldwide forced to use untreated sources.

Rüdiger Kretsch, Director of the WHO Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, said water, sanitation and hygiene are not privileges but fundamental human rights. The report found that people in the least developed countries are twice as likely to lack basic drinking water and sanitation as people in other countries, and three times more likely to live without access to basic hygiene. An estimated 1.7 billion people still lack access to basic hygiene at home, including 611 million who have no access at all. The UN called for accelerated action for the most marginalized communities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. “At the current pace, the promise of reaching every child with safe water and sanitation is fading, reminding us that we must act faster and bolder to help those who need it most,” the report said.