Worldwide, 844 million people lack access to drinking water, and 2.3 billion do not have access to latrines or other basic sanitation facilities. Contaminated water and poor sanitation are among the leading causes of death for children under 5. Without access to clean water, proper sanitation and hygiene facilities, children face an increased risk of preventable diseases, malnutrition and other critical health issues.
Through targeted water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) construction projects, UNICEF works to bring clean water, essential sanitation and hygiene facilities to homes, schools and health centres so that children can grow and learn in a safe environment. Recently, UNICEF has been building increasingly complex WASH projects.
UNICEF’s construction initiatives directly support Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, working towards ensuring that all children have access to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation facilities.
Conflict in South Sudan began in 2013 and has inflicted extensive damage to the country’s water infrastructure. By 2017, an estimated 5.1 million people in South Sudan did not have consistent access to safe water and sanitation facilities. Lack of access to clean water contributed to the acute malnutrition suffered by an estimated 1.1 million children in South Sudan at the time.
