Welcome to UN-Water

text only version

General Assembly declares access to clean water and sanitation is a human right

Safe and clean drinking water and sanitation is a human right essential to the full enjoyment of life and all other human rights, the General Assembly declared today, voicing deep concern that almost 900 million people worldwide do not have access to clean water. The text of the resolution expresses deep concern that an estimated 884 million people lack access to safe drinking water and a total of more than 2.6 billion people do not have access to basic sanitation. Studies also indicate about 1.5 million children under the age of five die each year and 443 million school days are lost because of water- and sanitation-related diseases. Read the full article More on drinking water and sanitation Clean Water for a Healthy World \| World Water Day 2010 website

Water for sustainable urban human settlements

WWAP and UN-Habitat have released a joint Briefing Note 'Water for sustainable urban human settlements' highlighting critical water challenges related to today's unprecedented urban expansion – from providing access to basic services to ensuring environmental and human security. The paper, produced 16 June 2010, provides urban mayors, leaders and high-level decision makers with concrete policy options to meet these challenges, protect against potential water-related disasters and ensure the development of sustainable urban settlements.
Read more
View / Download the Brief

UN-Water GLAAS Report 2010 released

The Global Annual Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) is a UN-Water initiative implemented by the World Health Organization (WHO). The objective of UN-Water GLAAS is to provide policy makers at all levels with a reliable, easily accessible, comprehensive and global analysis of the evidence to make informed decisions in sanitation and drinking-water.
Read more

JMP Report: progress on sanitation and drinking-water 2010

New WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report titled: "Progress on Sanitation and Drinking- Water: 2010 Update Report".
Read more

Read DFID press-release

Sanitation and Water for All

Climate change adaptation UN-Water policy brief

Water is the primary medium through whichclimate change influences Earth’s ecosystem and thus the livelihood and well-being of societies. Higher temperatures and changes in extreme weather conditions are projected to affect availability and distribution of rainfall, snowmelt, river flows and groundwater, and further deteriorate water quality. Adaptation to climate change is urgent. Water plays a pivotal role in it, but the political world has yet to recognize this notion.

View / Download the Policy Brief

World's Longest Toilet Queue's photostream

A snapshot of Queues from around the world taken on and around World Water Day 2010 for the campaign 'The World's Longest Toilet Queue'.
View Flickr PhotoGallery

New UNEP / UN-Habitat Report

“Sick water? The central role of wastewater management in sustainable development” not only identifies the threats to human and ecological health and the consequences of inaction, but alsopresents opportunities,

where appropriate policy and management responses over the short and longer term can trigger employment, support livelihoods, boost public and ecosystem health and contribute to more intelligent water management.
Find out more about the Report

View / Download the Report