WHO Reveals 2.1 Billion People Still Difficult To Access Clean Water
JAKARTA - The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF revealed that 1 in 4 people or 2.1 billion people still have difficulty accessing clean water. There are also 106 million other people who are forced to rely on surface water sources that have not been treated in a safe way.
The WHO and UNICEF report shows that people in poor countries are twice as vulnerable to drinking water shortages that are safe for consumption, compared to other countries.
"Water, sanitation and hygiene are not a privilege, but a human right," said WHO's Director of the Department of Environment for Climate Change and Health, Ruediger Krech, quoted from the WHO's official website, on Thursday, August 28, 2025.
WHO also noted that 1.7 billion people in the world still lack basic cleaning services at home, with 611 million people who do not have home hygiene facilities at all. Thus, it is emphasized that steps to overcome this problem of cleanliness and clean water should be carried out together by the citizens of the world.
"We must accelerate steps, especially for the most marginalized communities if we want to fulfill our promise to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals," he added.
The Sustainable Development Goal is approaching the last five years of the period, namely 2030. It is hoped that by that year it will end in open defecation, universal access to water, sanitation services, and basic cleanliness.
All of these are urgently needed, especially for children. If access to clean water and sanitation is disrupted, their health and education could be disrupted which could pose a risk in the future.
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"When children don't have access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene, their health, education, and future are at risk," added UNICEF's WASH Director, Cecilia Scharp.
At the current pace, the promise of safe water and sanitation for each child is getting further and further out of reach, reminding us to act faster and bolder to reach those most in need, concluded Cecilia.