Water crisis threat to world's children

UNICEF calls for action after report paints bleak outlook

NEW YORK - About 600 million children, or one in four worldwide, will be living in areas with extremely limited water resources by 2040, according to a report released by the United Nations Children's Fund on Wednesday to mark World Water Day.

The report studied the threats to children's lives and wellbeing caused by depleted sources of safe water, and the ways climate change will intensify these risks in coming years.

"Water is elemental; without it, nothing can grow. But around the world, millions of children lack access to safe water - endangering their lives, undermining their health, and jeopardizing their futures," UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said. "This crisis will only grow unless we take collective action now."

According to the report, 36 countries are currently facing extremely high levels of water stress, which occurs when demand for water far exceeds the renewable supply available.

Warmer temperatures, rising sea levels, increased floods, droughts and melting ice affect the quality and availability of water as well as sanitation systems.

World Water Day, observed on March 22 every year, is about taking action to tackle the crisis. At present, some 1.8 billion people use a source of drinking water contaminated with feces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio.

The Sustainable Development Goals, launched by world leaders at the United Nations in 2015, include a target to ensure everyone has access to safe water by 2030, making water a key issue in the fight to eradicate extreme poverty.

Population growth, increased water consumption, and higher demand for water largely due to industrialization and urbanization are draining water resources worldwide. Conflicts in many parts of the world also threaten children's access to safe water.

The poorest and most vulnerable children will be most impacted by an increase in water stress, the report says, as millions of them already live in areas with low access to safe water and sanitation.

The report also noted that more than 800 children under the age of 5 die every day from diarrhea linked to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene.

"In a changing climate, we must change the way we work to reach those who are most vulnerable," Lake said. "One of the most effective ways we can do that is safeguarding their access to safe water."