About three in every 10 children in Asia lack access to safe drinking water, with a global target to ensure universal and affordable access to safe drinking water set to be missed by 2030 at current rates of progress, Save the Children said.

The latest data on access to safe drinking water for Asia’s children comes as regional experts meet this week in Bangkok for the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development to discuss progress on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This includes Goal 6 which aims to ensure universal, equitable and affordable access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene for all by 2030.

As of 2024 (the latest available data) at least 332 million children across 20 countries in East, Southeast and South Asia did not have access to safe drinking water, or about 32% of the child population, according to Save the Children analysis of UN data.[1]

If the rates of progress seen from 2015 to 2024 continue, the region will fall short of ensuring safe drinking water for all children by 2030 as 26% of children will not have this access.

Arshad Malik, Regional Director Asia, Save the Children, said:

“Across Asia, there are children who wake up each day without the certainty of safe drinking water. When a child drinks unsafe drinking water the consequences ripple far beyond illness. It can mean days missed from play and school, stolen energy and even lifelong, serious health problems that children carry with them into adulthood.

“Although huge strides have been made with access to clean drinking water there is still much progress to be made including here in Asia. Water is essential to life and children should never be deprived of safe and easy to access water. Investing in safe, clean water is not just an investment in local infrastructure. It’s an investment in the future of every child.”

Children’s access to safe drinking water is also threatened by the global climate crisis including drought, floods and rising global temperatures which can all disrupt access to safe drinking water.

Cuts to foreign aid have also led to funding gaps for essential water services.