22/03/2026
- It is an annual UN observance held on 22 March, established by General Assembly resolution A/RES/47/193 adopted on 22 December 1992. It highlights the importance of freshwater, advocates for sustainable management, and supports Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.
*Theme: “Where Water Flows, Equality Grows.”*
This day focuses on the crucial link between water, sanitation, and gender equality, highlighting how safe water access empowers women and girls.
*DO YOU KNOW?*
• In early 2026, UN scientists formally declared that many regions have entered a state of "Global Water Bankruptcy," where water use and pollution have permanently exceeded the renewable limits of lakes and aquifers.
• Globally, women and girls spend a staggering 250 million hours every single day collecting water. This "unpaid labor" is equivalent to the entire female population of a large nation working full-time just to secure a basic necessity.
• Globally, more than 1 billion women – more than a quarter of all women (27.1%) – lack access to safely managed drinking water services.
• 1.8 billion people still do not have drinking water on-premises, and in two out of three households, women are primarily responsible for water collection.
• Unsafe water and poor hygiene remain a leading cause of death for children under five, claiming approximately 1,000 young lives every day.
• Despite decades of progress, 2.2 billion people still live without safely managed drinking water, and 3.5 billion lack safely managed sanitation.
• Over half of the world's 100 largest cities (including London, Beijing, and Delhi) are now experiencing high to extremely high water stress, with demand projected to rise another 50% by 2050.
• About 14% of countries still have no mechanisms to ensure women can participate equally in water-related decision-making and water management.