The looming threat of global water insecurity
IMAGINE living in a world, where one half of the population is striving to reach other planets and have made technological advancements well beyond the human beliefs and imagination. Yet, the second half of the very same world lacks access to the very basic commodities of life, such as the clean drinking water. UNICEF and WHO have highlighted that 1 in 4 people (approximately 2.1 billion people) globally lack access to safely managed drinking water. Out of the billions who face water insecurity, 106 million people are forced to collect and drink water directly from untreated surface sources like rivers, lakes and streams. 3.4 billion people still lack safely managed sanitation, including 354 million who practice open defecation. 1.7 billion people still lack basic hygiene services at home, including 611 million without access to any facilities. Safely managed drinking water coverage rose from 50% to 60% between 2015 and 2024 in the rural areas; yet the circumstances are disastrous. In countries like Chad and the Central African Republic, a staggering 93% of the population lacks access to safely managed drinking water.Such realities indicate that we are living in two different worlds, where the privileged half is not interested in addressing the........
