22/03/2026
Globally, unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene are responsible for the deaths of around 1,000 children under five every day. (WHO, 2023).
156 million girls aged 10–19 still lack access to basic hygiene services globally, compromising their health, dignity, and education. (UNICEF, 2024).
Approximately 43% of global newborn deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa, where
only half of health care facilities have a water source on site. (WHO/UNICEF, 2023).
Where people lack safe drinking water and sanitation close to home, inequalities flourish, with women and girls bearing the brunt.
They collect water.
They manage water.
They care for people made sick by unsafe water.
They lose time, health, safety, and opportunities.
And too often, the systems that govern water leave women and girls out of decision-making, leadership, funding and representation.
This makes the water crisis a women’s crisis.
We need a transformative, rights-based approach to solving these challenges, where women’s voices are heard and their agency recognized.
All women must be equitably represented at all levels of water leadership – helping design every pipe and policy.
And women must drive change in water as engineers, farmers, scientists, sanitation workers and community leaders.
