Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030 offers a historic opportunity to set a new course for the next era of global human development, one that promises transformational change for children and their families. Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are the ambitious new agenda with a distinct sector goal (SDG 6) that focuses universal, sustainable, and equitable access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as the elimination of open defecation by 2030. The child population in poor and fragile countries is growing, and more children need humanitarian assistance than ever before. Inequalities are pronounced and increasing in access to water and sanitation.
The Global Acceleration Framework for SDG 6 launched the mechanism developed by more than 30 UN entities and 40 international organizations. It lays down strategies to provide more efficient and coordinated support to countries to ensure global availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. The United Nation estimates more than 2 billion people worldwide still do not have access to safely managed drinking water, while 4.2 billion lack safely managed sanitation.
“Progress on SDG 6 will face deepening challenges as our climate continues to change, as we are sadly reminded, water and sanitation are also key to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Handwashing with soap is one of the most effective ways to limit the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases”, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking at the virtual launch. He also added that if the current trends continue, by 2040 one in four of the world’s children under 18, some 600 million in all, will be living in areas of extremely high water stress.
“Almost 60% of freshwater flows through over 250 water basins, distributed between 148 countries”, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande told participants. “Given the fragmented distribution, the only way we can manage the global water resources efficiently is through multilateral cooperation. The goal to provide safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030, will remain elusive without harmony and synergy in our actions and policies related to water”, he added.
Guterres called for resilient and sustainable water-related ecosystems and safe water supply and sanitation services to prevent and contain this and future pandemics. As the world faces a dangerous recession, Guterres said, “coordination and alignment are more necessary than ever to target the use of our resources in the most efficient and impactful way.”
