World Water Day is celebrated on March 22 every year to highlight the significance of freshwater and the sustainable management of this resource, which is indeed essential for life.
The theme for this year is 'Accelerating the change to solve the water and sanitation crisis', emphasising the necessity of taking stern action to address the global water crisis.
Water is not only essential for humankind, it’s also essential for different ecosystems.
It is at the core of sustainable development. It supports all aspects of life on Earth, and access to safe and clean water is a basic human right, according to UN.
However, decades of mismanagement and misuse have intensified water stress, threatening the many aspects of life that depend on this crucial resource.
In a statement, the UN noted that billions of people around the world still lack access to water. It is estimated that more than 800,000 people die each year from diseases directly attributed to unsafe water, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene practices.
Demands for this precious resource continue to rise: about four billion people experience severe water scarcity for at least one month of the year.
With water being so crucial to many aspects of life, it is important to ensure its protection and proper management to ensure that everyone has equitable access to this essential resource by 2023.
To mark the day, the UN is organising the UN 2023 Water Conference- the first event of its kind for nearly 50- to unite the world around water from March 22-24 in New York, United States.
The day originated in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in 1992 when the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development took place.
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