The embargoed report and infographics can be access at this password protected link
 
https://who.canto.global/b/L4I0H
Password: 268134




EMBARGOED: DO NOT PUBLISH, DISTRIBUTE OR REPRODUCE 
BEFORE 00.01 GMT / 02:01 CEST ON 28 AUGUST 2019
 
 
Weak systems and funding gaps jeopardize drinking-water and sanitation in the world’s poorest countries
 
28 August 2019 | STOCKHOLM – The World Health Organization (WHO) and UN-Water today sounded the alarm for an urgent increase in investment in strong drinking-water and sanitation systems.  
 
The call came as the international water sector meets in Stockholm for its annual conference during World Water Week (25-30 August 2019). It is triggered by a new report published by WHO on behalf of UN-Water that reveals that weak government systems and a lack of human resources and funds are jeopardizing the delivery of water and sanitation services in the world’s poorest countries – and undermining efforts to ensure health for all.
 
“Too many people lack access to reliable and safe drinking-water, toilets and handwashing facilities, putting them at risk of deadly infections and threatening progress in public health,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Water and sanitation systems don’t just improve health and save lives, they are a critical part of building more stable, secure and prosperous societies. We call on all countries that lack essential water and sanitation infrastructure to allocate funds and human resources to build and maintain it.”
 
The UN-Water Global Assessment and Analysis of Sanitation and Drinking-Water 2019 (known as the GLAAS report) surveyed 115 countries and territories, representing 4.5 billion people. It showed that, in an overwhelming majority of countries, the implementation of water, sanitation and hygiene policies and plans is constrained by inadequate human and financial resources. Nineteen countries and one territory reported a funding gap of more than 60% between identified needs and available funding. Less than 15% of countries have the financial or human resources needed to implement their plans.
 
“If we are to create a healthier, more equitable and stable society, then strengthening the systems to reach those currently living without safe and affordable water, sanitation and hygiene services must be a top priority,” says Mr Gilbert F Houngbo, Chair of UN-Water and President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development. “While we need to ensure that there is sufficient funding to tackle these critical challenges, it is equally important to continue reinforcing national delivery systems.”
 


While funding gaps and weak systems are holding many countries back, the report also found that countries have begun to take positive steps towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 on water and sanitation.
 
“The Sustainable Development Goals have inspired us to take concrete actions at the national level to increase access to sanitation,” says Mr David Molefha, Principal Water Engineer at the Ministry of Land Management Water and Sanitation Services in Botswana. “We have developed a sanitation roadmap and are working to eliminate open defecation. With these actions, we are working to improve peoples’ lives.”
 
About half of the countries surveyed have now set drinking-water targets that aim for universal coverage at levels higher than basic services by 2030, for example by addressing water quality and increasing access to water on premises. In addition, specifically targeting open defecation will have a dramatic impact on public and environmental health.
 
As the international authority on public health and water, sanitation and hygiene, WHO gathers scientific evidence, sets and monitors standards, and promotes best policies and practices for ensuring safe, reliable water, sanitation and hygiene for all people.
 
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Note to editors
 

  • The 2019 UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) report draws on survey results from 115 countries and territories and 29 external support agencies, such as governmental departments for international development, UN agencies and nongovernmental organizations.
  • In 2019, the GLAAS report celebrates its 10th anniversary after successfully completing a pilot in 2008 and four two-year cycles to date. In this fifth cycle, GLAAS covers four key areas of water, sanitation and hygiene systems (governance, monitoring, human resources and finance) with a special focus on policies, plans and targets.
  • The majority of countries have policies for drinking-water (94%), sanitation (94%), and hygiene (79%) and also reported having implementation plans to support these policies. However, fewer than one sixth of countries with costed implementation plans have sufficient finance to implement them. Of those countries that have conducted human resources assessments, less than 14% have sufficient human resources to implement plans.
  • Approximately half of countries have set urban or rural targets to reach 100% coverage for drinking-water at the safely managed or basic+ levels by 2030.
  • According the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme, as of 2017, 2.2 billion people lack safely managed water services, 4.2 billion lack safely managed sanitation and 3 billion lack basic handwashing facilities.

 
Related links:
The report can be downloaded at the following link:
 
https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/en/
https://www.who.int/entity/water_sanitation_health/publications/glaas-report-2019/en/index.html (live on 28 August)
 
About the World Health Organization
 
The World Health Organization provides global leadership in public health within the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO works with 194 Member States, across six regions and from more than 150 offices, to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. Our goal for 2019-2023 is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and wellbeing.
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About UN Water
 
UN-Water coordinates the efforts of UN entities and international organizations working on water and sanitation issues. Over 30 UN organizations carry out water and sanitation programmes, reflecting the fact that water issues run through all of the UN’s main focus areas. UN-Water’s role is to coordinate so that the UN family ‘delivers as one’ in response to water related challenges.
Website: www.unwater.orgTwitter; Facebook; Instagram