According to a joint report released on Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) remains out of reach for billions of people worldwide. Despite improvements over the last decade, 2.1 billion people globally lack access to safely managed drinking water, which puts them at risk of disease and deeper social exclusion.
WHO and UNICEF define safely managed drinking water and sanitation services as drinking water from sources located on premises that are free from contamination and available when needed and hygienic toilets from which waste is treated and disposed of safely.
Released at World Water Week 2025, the joint report reveals that, while some improvements have been made since 2015, major gaps remain. One in four people globally still lacks access to safely managed drinking water, including 106 million people who rely on untreated rivers, lakes, or other surface water sources.
Additionally, 3.4 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation services, including 354 million who practice open defecation. Around 1.7 billion people lack basic hygiene services at home, including 611 million who have no access to facilities whatsoever.
The report emphasizes the stark disparities between the least developed countries and the rest of the world, where people are far more likely to lack basic water and sanitation services. Communities in fragile contexts, such as those affected by conflict or instability, face even greater challenges, with a 38-percentage point gap in drinking water coverage compared to other regions.
WHO and UNICEF highlight persistent inequalities that particularly affect vulnerable communities. The greatest disparities in access to WASH affect people living in low-income countries, in fragile contexts such as humanitarian emergencies, in rural communities, and among children, as well as minority ethnic and indigenous groups.
Those in the least developed countries are more than twice as likely as those in other countries to lack basic drinking water and sanitation services, and more than three times as likely to lack basic hygiene.
While rural areas have seen some improvement, with safe water coverage increasing from 50 to 60 percent, urban areas have shown little progress, highlighting that water access issues affect cities globally, not just developing nations.
In most surveyed countries, women and girls disproportionately bear the burden of collecting water. Many in Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia spend over 30 minutes daily on this task.
The report also provides new data on menstrual health, revealing that, although most women and adolescent girls have menstrual materials, many lack sufficient supplies — affecting their ability to participate in school and work during their periods.
Progress towards SDGs lagging
With only five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target of universal water access by 2030, the targets to end open defecation and ensure basic services seem increasingly challenging, as safely managed services remain out of reach for many.
WHO and UNICEF officials emphasized that the current rate of progress is insufficient to meet the SDGs by 2030.
“Water, sanitation and hygiene are not privileges, they are basic human rights,” said Rüdiger Krech, interim WHO Director for Environment, Climate Change, and Health.
“We must accelerate action, especially for the most marginalized communities, if we are to keep our promise to reach the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Cecilia Scharp, UNICEF Director of WASH, warned that when children lack access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, their health, education, and futures are put at risk.
“These inequalities are especially stark for girls, who often bear the burden of water collection and face additional barriers during menstruation,” she said.
"At the current pace, the promise of safe water and sanitation for every child is slipping further from reach – reminding us that we must act faster and more boldly to reach those who need it most."
The release of the WHO/UNICEF report illustrates that, although progress has been made, the world is not on track to provide safe water, sanitation, and hygiene to everyone. Without immediate action, millions will continue to suffer from preventable diseases and lost opportunities due to inadequate water services.
Reliable access to WASH services saves lives, builds resilience in communities, and improves livelihoods. During humanitarian crises throughout the world, people urgently require safe WASH services to survive and prevent the spread of waterborne diseases.
World Water Week, which takes place from August 24 to 28, 2025, brings together governments, experts, and civil society to address global water challenges.
Further information
Full text: Progress on Household Drinking Water and Sanitation 2000–2024: special focus on inequalities, WHO and UNICEF, report, published August 26, 2025
https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/wash-documents/wash-coverage/jmp/jmp-2025-wash-households-lowres-launch.pdf
Website: World Water Week 2025
https://www.worldwaterweek.org/