World Water Day

  Water is at the centre of economic development, social cohesion and environmental sustainability in Africa, supporting various sectors such as domestic use, agriculture, construction and industry. In 2021, 79% of Africa’s fresh water went towards the agriculture sector, which employs over 45% of African workers and is heavily dependent on rainfall and groundwater. Water is also a key catalyst in industrial development as a raw resource and for operations like cooling and cleaning. An estimated 1.8 billion people were expected to be living in regions with absolute water scarcity by 2025. Chad, Niger and Somalia were reported to be the least water-secure countries in Africa in 2022. In Sub-Saharan Africa, access to clean and safe water remains a significant challenge, with access to basic water services estimated at 58% in 2024, and access to basic sanitation estimated at 47%. Approximately 115 people in Africa die every hour from diseases linked to poor sanitation, poor hygiene an...

  Ecosystems provide essential goods, services and functions related to the availability, quality and management of freshwater resources. Climate change, unsustainable land-use change and pollution are significantly affecting aquatic and water-dependent ecosystems, leading to losses of ecological goods, services and biodiversity. Ecosystem degradation that disproportionally affects women’s health and livelihoods can deepen gender and societal inequalities Across cultures and communities, women have been involved in safeguarding and managing ecosystems for centuries – developing and transmitting local and traditional knowledge from generation to generation.  Ensuring women have equal access to ecosystem services and are involved in ecosystem management can help reduce gender inequalities, contributing to more equal and resilient communities. Aquatic ecosystems – such as lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands and coastal estuaries – provide vital services ranging from water supp...

Rising temperatures due to human-induced climate change – as well as changes in land use and water use – are accelerating changes in precipitation, evaporation, soil moisture, groundwater and streamflow (i.e. river discharge) patterns. Climate change is also accelerating glacier melt and other cryospheric changes, increasing the risks of hazards such as glacial lake outburst floods while also affecting the availability and timing of water resources for downstream communities. An increasingly erratic and unpredictable hydrological cycle is posing more threats to human well-being (through its impact on provision of food and water security, economic stability, public health, etc.), and to environment and ecosystem health. Intensified occurrence and magnitude of hydrometeorological hazards highlight the urgent need for adaptive, resilient and integrated approaches to disaster risk management (DRM) strategies . Extreme hydrometeorological phenomena primarily drive water-related hazards . H...

  Industrial development is accelerating across lowand middle-income countries, increasing demand for water in manufacturing, energy and servicesector s. At the same time, global efforts to achieve gender equality, including Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, and ensure access to clean water andsanitation for all (SDG 6), have revealed persistent gaps in how women participate in and are affected by industrial water use . As the effects of climate change, urbanization and scarcity of resources grow more pressing, the intersection of women, water and industry is a critical yet under-explored policy priority. This part discusses challenges, sector-specific dynamics and potential responses for inclusive and sustainable development in the use of water in industry, business and energy. One of the guiding principles of the 1992 Dublin Statement on Water and Sustainable Development stated that “Women play a central part in the provision, management and safeguarding of water” . Never...