In a recent development, the Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) report for 2022 was released by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN-Water. This article discusses key findings from the report as well as its implications for global water and sanitation policies, while also underlining the role of UN-Water and the World Health Organization’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Strategy.
UN-Water: The United Nations’ Arm for Water and Sanitation
UN-Water is a ‘coordination mechanism’ entrusted with coordinating the United Nations’ work on water and sanitation issues. It comprises both Members that are United Nations entities and Partners that are international organizations actively working on these issues. UN-Water’s primary responsibility is to unify the work of its Members and Partners in response to water-related challenges.
Understanding the GLAAS Report
The GLAAS 2022 report is a compilation of new data on WASH from 121 countries and territories along with 23 External Support Agencies (ESAs). It serves as a global reference to guide commitments, priority-setting, and actions related to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the United Nations Decade for Action on Water and Sanitation. The report specifically aims to inform efforts to develop sustainable, quality WASH services and strengthen pandemic preparedness and resilience to climate change.
Key Findings from the GLAAS Report
The report revealed a shortage of human resources managing essential WASH tasks, with less than a third of countries reporting adequate human resources. Furthermore, only 45% of countries are meeting their drinking water coverage targets, and a mere 25% are achieving their sanitation targets.
Finances are another critical issue, with over 75% of countries reporting inadequate resources to execute their WASH plans and objectives. Most WASH policies and plans lack consideration for climate change threats to WASH services, nor do they account for the climate resilience of WASH technology and management systems. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change continues to obstruct the delivery of safe WASH services.
The WASH Strategy: An Initiative by WHO
WASH is an acronym representing the interrelated areas of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene. The WHO’s WASH Strategy responds to Member State Resolution (WHA 64.4) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, aiming to contribute to the health of three billion people through multisectoral actions like improved emergency preparedness and response, and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The Way Forward
To ensure widespread access to safe, sustainable WASH services, it is crucial to target underserved populations and settings, such as impoverished communities or remotely located areas. Community participation plays a key role in this context, making it fundamental to adapt and sustain solutions for local community contexts.
Gender equality is another important aspect that must be considered in WASH decisions and services. Women’s inclusion, financial support, and monitoring are necessary to address issues ranging from menstrual health and hygiene to local participation and women working in WASH.
The governments and development partners need to strengthen WASH systems and significantly enhance investment to extend access to safely managed drinking water and sanitation services to all by 2030, starting with the most vulnerable.
