WaterAid calls for urgent action as world hunger levels rise
The release of today’s State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report shows the number of undernourished people has increased from 804 million in 2016, to 821 million in 2017, an alarming figure which shows the world is woefully behind its target of ending malnutrition by 2030, WaterAid said today.
Jonathan Farr, senior policy analyst on water security and climate change at WaterAid, said:
“Changes in climate and more frequent extreme weather events don’t just impact people’s nutrition, but also their ability to get clean water, access to sanitation and good hygiene, which are essential for good health and a reliable food supply.
We know that the effects of climate change are largely felt through water as access to safe water supplies and sanitation services become unreliable due to flooding, droughts and extreme weather. Water-related diseases, like cholera and other diarrhoeal diseases, spread more easily with diminished access to clean water, good sanitation and hygiene, leading to a vicious cycle of disease and undernutrition and often, in children, stunting.
This is a climate crisis: we need to accelerate and scale up efforts and financing to help communities adapt and become more resilient to climate change and to strengthen sustainable access to water and sanitation as well as nutrition. We know one cannot happen without the other.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
WaterAid
WaterAid’s vision is of a world where everyone has access to clean water and sanitation. The international not-for-profit organisation works in 34 countries to change the lives of the poorest and most marginalised people. Since 1981, WaterAid has reached 25.8 million people with clean water and 25.1 million people with decent toilets. For more information, visit www.wateraid.org/uk, follow @WaterAidUK or @WaterAidPress on Twitter, or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wateraid.
-
844 million people in the world – one in nine – do not have clean water close to home.[1]
-
2.3 billion people in the world – almost one in three – do not have a decent toilet of their own.[2]
-
Around 289,000 children under five die every year from diarrhoeal diseases caused by poor water and sanitation. That's almost 800 children a day, or one child every two minutes.[3]
-
Every £1 invested in water and toilets returns an average of £4 in increased productivity.[4]
-
Just £24 can provide one person with clean water.[5]
-
To find out if countries are keeping their promises on water and sanitation, see the online database www.WASHwatch.org
[1] WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2017 update and SDG Baselines
[2] WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2017 update and SDG Baselines
[3] washwatch.org
[4] World Health organization (2012) Global costs and benefits of drinking-water supply and sanitation interventions to reach the MDG target and universal coverage
