Some 347 million children in South Asia are suffering from water scarcity, according to the latest report by UNICEF, the UN children’s aid organization, released today.
More than a quarter of all children in the world live in the South Asian region, the most populous region in the world..
According to a UNICEF report, 55 percent of children in South Asia suffer from a lack of water – the highest rate in the world.
”Water security is a basic human right, but millions of children in South Asia do not have enough water in a region affected by floods, droughts and other extreme weather events, which are increasingly driven by climate change,” said Sanjay Wijesekera, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia.
Ahead of the UN climate change conference COP28 in Dubai at the end of the month, UNICEF is calling on the international community to take steps to leave children a legacy of a planet worth living on.
The report states that 594 million children in the world still lack access to drinking water, basic sanitation and hygiene, making them particularly vulnerable to water shortages and climate-related hazards, shocks and stresses.
Lack of water affects children’s well-being and growth, creates food insecurity, malnutrition and disease.
Water scarcity also affects agriculture, industry and economic growth. If farmers are doing poorly, children are more likely to be forced into manual labor, the report said.
Last year in South Asia, 45 million children did not have access to clean water – more than in any other region. UNICEF stated that, however, access to water is expanding and improving, and they hope to halve that number by 2030.
