When life hangs by a glass of drinking water

The ravages of unsafe water are unexpected.

On the occasion of World Water Day on Tuesday, March 22 The NGO Solidarités International publishes these staggering numbers: 2.6 million people (including 1.8 million children) die every year from diseases related unsafe water. One person every 10 seconds.

A fact widely ignored of the general public, as indicated the results of Odoxa 2016 survey by the NGO as part of its 2016 Barometer water. A publication that presents the inventory of access to this vital resource. Access marked by huge disparities between the inhabitants of the globe: we learn that the average volume consumed by a single French reaches 200 liters per day when in sub-Saharan Africa, it is happy to 15 liters per day per person!

2.6 million people die from unsafe water

Even as access to clean water is a human right since 2010 and that significant progress had been made both for the access to drinking water and against diseases related to the water for 15 years, drinking is yet a deadly action to millions of people around the world.Nearly half of humanity drinks every day water unsafe for his health. Two and a half billion people do not have toilets; 40% of schools and health facilities in developing countries lack basic facilities for water, hygiene and sanitation, while 50% risk of diarrhea that kill every day 1000 children under 5 years could be prevented only through hand washing with soap and water.

Solidarités International has been involved for 35 years in the field of the most severe crises and fight tirelessly for access to safe water for all: in Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, the Sahel … Since its creation in 1980, the association has helped millions of people worldwide have access to this vital resource through worthy solutions tailored to the local reality: well drilling, reprocessing solutions, water storage rain, etc.

To help change attitudes and raise a more active public support, Solidarity International can count on a network of highly mobilized associations and the support of personalities from the world of culture or entertainment as actor Matt Damon who lends his voice to the spot made by the Waters.org NGOs, not to mention humanitarian experts and institutional partners, Think Tank, communities and water agencies …

The past year has seen materialize the vote of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to the United Nations, the World Water Forum, the COP21 in Paris … Still a long way to go before the most vulnerable populations access to this precious commodity as provided for ODD.

Translated from French.
Read the article in french on Aleteia website


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