UNICEF, March 2023
Triple Threat: How disease, climate risks, and unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene create a deadly combination for children
Safe water is essential to life itself. Proper sanitation and hygiene prevent the spread of disease and infection, and ensure human dignity. Without these essential services, the most basic needs of children’s lives are unmet.
Globally, 600 million children still lack safely managed drinking water, 1.1 billion lack safely managed sanitation and 689 million lack basic hygiene service,149 million children still face the indignity of practising open defecation and unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is still responsible for the deaths of around 1,000 children under 5 every day.
The challenge of extending WASH services to children in need is further compounded by water scarcity, floods and cyclones – all exacerbated by the climate crisis.